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MESSAGE. 


To  the  Congress  of  the  United  States: 

For  some  time  prior  to  the  visit  of  the  Maine  to  Havana  Harbor  our 
consular  representatives  pointed  out  the  advantages  to  flow  from  the 
visit  of  national  ships  to  the  Cuban  waters,  in  accustoming  the  people 
to  the  presence  of  our  flag  as  the  symbol  of  good  will  and  of  our  ships 
in  the  fulfillment  of  the  mission  of  protection  to  American  interests, 
even  though  no  immediate  need  therefor  might  exist. 

Accordingly  on  the  24th  of  January  last,  after  conference  with  the 
Spanish  minister  in  which  the  renewal  of  visits  of  our  war  vessels  to 
Spanish  waters  was  discussed  and  accepted,  the  peninsular  authorities 
at  Madrid  and  Havana  were  advised  of  the  purpose  of  this  Govern- 
ment to  resume  friendly  naval  visits  at  Cuban  ports,  and  that  in  that 
view  the  Maine  would  forthwith  call  at  the  port  of  Havana. 

This  announcement  was  received  by  the  Spanish  Government  with 
appreciation  of  the  friendly  character  of  the  visit  of  the  Maine,  and 
with  notification  of  intention  to  return  the  courtesy  by  sending  Spanish 
ships  to  the  principal  ports  of  the  United  States.  Meanwhile  the  Maine 
entered  the  port  of  Havana  on  the  25th  of  January,  her  arrival  being 
marked  with  no  special  incident  besides  the  exchange  of  customary 
salutes  and  ceremonial  visits. 

The  Maine  continued  in  the  harbor  of  Havana  during  the  three 
weeks  following  her  arrival.  No  appreciable  excitement  attended  her 
stay;  on  the  contrary,  a  feeling  of  relief  and  confidence  followed  the 
resumption  of  the  long  interrupted  friendly  intercourse.  So  noticeable 
was  this  immediate  effect  of  her  visit  that  the  consul-general  strongly 
urged  that  the  presence  of  our  ships  in  Cuban  waters  should  be  kept 
up  by  retaining  the  Maine  at  Havana  or,  in  the  event  of  her  recall,  by 
sending  another  vessel  there  to  take  her  place. 

At  forty  minutes  past  9  in  the  evening  of  the  15th  of  February  the 
Maine  was  destroyed  by  an  explosion,  by  which  the  entire  forward  part 
of  the  ship  was  utterly  wrecked.  In  this  catastrophe  two  officers  and 
two  hundred  and  sixty-four  of  her  crew  perished,  th^ose  who  were  not 
killed  outright  by  her  explosion  being  penned  between  decks  by  the 
tangle  of  wreckage  and  drowned  by  the  immediate  sinking  of  the  hull. 

Prompt  assistance  was  rendered  by  the  neighboring  vessels  anchored 
in  the  harbor,  aid  being  especially  given  by  the  boats  of  the  Spanish 

r  -* 


4  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

cruiser  Alfonso  XII  and  the  Ward  Line  steamer  City  of  Washington, 
which  lay  not  far  distant.  The  wounded  were  generously  cared  for  by 
the  authorities  of  Havana,  the  hospitals  being  freely  opened  to  them, 
while  the  earliest  recovered  bodies  of  the  dead  were  interred  by  the 
municipality  in  a  public  cemetery  in  the  city.  Tributes  of  grief  and 
sympathy  were  offered  from  all  official  quarters  of  the  island. 

The  appalling  calamity  fell  upon  the  people  of  our  country  with 
crushing  force,  and  for  a  brief  time  an  intense  excitement  prevailed, 
which  in  a  community  less  just  and  self-controlled  than  ours- might 
have  led  to  hasty  acts  of  blind  resentment.  This  spirit,  however,  soon 
gave  way  to  the  calmer  processes  of  reason  and  to  the  resolve  to  inves- 
tigate the  facts  and  await  material  proof  before  forming  a  judgment  as 
to  the  cause,  the  responsibility,  and,  if  the  facts  warranted,  the  remedy 
due.  This  course  necessarily  recommended  itself  from  the  outset  to 
the  Executive,  for  only  in  the  light  of  a  dispassionately  ascertained 
certainty  could  it  determine  the  nature  and  measure  of  its  full  duty  in 
the  matter. 

The  usual  procedure  was  followed,  as  in  all  cases  of  casualty  or  dis- 
aster to  national  vessels  of  any  maritime  State.  A  naval  court  of 
inquiry  was  at  once  organized,  composed  of  officers  well  qualified  by 
rank  and  practical  experience  to  discharge  the  onerous  duty  imposed 
upon  them.  Aided  by  a  strong  force  of  wreckers  and  divers,  the  court 
proceeded  to  make  a  thorough  investigation  on  the  spot,  employing 
every  available  means  for  the  impartial  and  exact  determination  of  the 
causes  of  the  explosion.  Its  operations  have  been  conducted  with  the 
utmost  deliberation  and  judgment,  and  while  independently  pursued  no 
attainable  source  of  information  was  neglected,  and  the  fullest  oppor- 
tunity was  allowed  for  a  simultaneous  investigation  by  the  Spanish 
authorities. 

The  finding  of  the  court  of  inquiry  was  reached,  after  twenty-three 
days  of  continuous  labor,  on  the  21st  of  March,  instant,  and,  having 
been  approved  on  the  22d  by  the  commander  in  chief  of  the  United 
States  naval  force  on  the  North  Atlantic  Station,  was  transmitted  to 
the  Executive. 

It  is  herewith  laid  before  the  Congress,  together  with  the  voluminous 
testimony  taken  before  the  court. 

Its  purport  is,  in  brief,  as  follows: 

When  the  Maine  arrived  at  Havana  she  was  conducted  by  the  reg- 
ular Government  pilot  to  buoy  No.  4,  to  which  she  was  moored  in  from 
5£  to  6  fathoms  of  water. 

The  state  of  discipline  on  board,  and  the  condition  of  her  magazines, 
boilers,  coal  bunkers,  and  storage  compartments,  are  passed  in  review, 
with  the  conclusion  that  excellent  order  prevailed,  and  that  no  indica- 
tion of  any  cause  for  an  internal  explosion  existed  in  any  quarter. 

At  8  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  February  15  everything  had  been 
reported  secure,  and  all  was  quiet. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  5 

At  forty  minutes  past  9  o'clock  the  vessel  was  suddenly  destroyed. 

There  were  two  distinct  explosions,  with  a  brief  interval  between 
them. 

The  first  lifted  the  forward  part  of  the  ship  very  perceptibly ;  the 
second,  which  was  more  open,  prolonged,  and  of  greater  volume,  is 
attributed  by  the  court  to  the  partial  explosion  of  two  or  more  of  the 
forward  magazines. 

The  evidence  of  the  divers  establishes  that  the  after  part  of  the  ship 
was  practically  intact  and  sank  in  that  condition  a  very  few  moments 
after  the  explosion.    The  forward  part  was  completely  demolished. 

Upon  the  evidence  of  a  concurrent  external  cause  the  finding  of  the 
court  is  as  follows : 

At  frame  17  the  outer  shell  of  the  ship,  from  a  point  Hi  feet  from  the  middle  line 
of  the  ship  and  6  feet  above  the  keel  when  in  its  normal  position,  has  been  forced 
up  so  as  to  be  now  about  4  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  therefore  about  34 
feet  above  where  it  would  be  had  the  ship  sunk  uninjured. 

The  outside  bottom  plating  is  bent  into  a  reversed  V  shape  (A)?  *^e  after  wing  of 
which,  about  15  feet  broad  and  32  feet  in  length  (from  frame  17  to  frame  25),  is 
doubled  back  upon  itself  against  the  continuation  of  the  same  plating,  extending 
forward. 

At  frame  18  the  vertical  keel  is  broken  in  two  and  the  flat  keel  bent  into  an  angle 
similar  to  the  angle  formed  by  the  outside  bottom  plates.  This  break  is  now  about 
6  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water  and  about  30  feet  above  its  normal  position. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  court  this  effect  could  have  been  produced  only  by  the 
explosion  of  a  mine  situated  under  the  bottom  of  the  ship  at  about  frame  18  and 
somewhat  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship. 

The  conclusions  of  the  court  are : 

That  the  loss  of  the  Maine  was  not  in  any  respect  due  to  fault  or 
negligence  on  the  part  of  any  of  the  officers  or  members  of  her  crew ; 

That  the  ship  was  destroyed  by  the  explosion  of  a  submarine  mine, 
which  caused  the  partial  explosion  of  two  or  more  of  her  forward 
magazines;  and 

That  no  evidence  has  been  obtainable  fixing  the  responsibility  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Maine  upon  any  person  or  persons. 

I  have  directed  that  the  finding  of  the  court  of  inquiry  and  the  views 
of  this  Government  thereon  be  communicated  to  the  Government  of 
Her  Majesty  xLe  Queen  Eegent,  and  I  do  not  permit  myself  to  doubt 
that  the  sense  ^'justice  of  the  Spanish  nation  will  dictate  a  course 
of  action  suggested  by  honor  and  the  friendly  relations  of  the  two 
Governments. 

It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  Executive  to  advise  the  Congress  of  the 
result,  and  in  the  meantime  deliberate  consideration  is  invoked. 

William  McKinley. 

Executive  Mansion, 

March  28,  1898. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/messagefrompresiunitnava 


RECORD 


OF   THE 


PROCEEDINGS  OF  A  COURT  OF  INQUIRY 

CONVENED 

ON  BOARD  THE  UNITED  STATES  LIGHT-HOUSE  TENDER  MANGROVE, 

BY   VIRTUE   OF  A  PRECEPT   SIGNED   BY   REAR-ADMIRAL 

MONTGOMERY  SICARD,  U,  S.  NAVY,  COMMANDER  IN 

CHIEF,  UNITED  STATES  NAVAL  FORCE  ON 

NORTH   ATLANTIC   STATION, 

TO 

INQUIRE  INTO  THE  LOSS  OF  THE  U.  S.  B.  S.  MAINE, 
IN  THE  HARBOR  OF  HAVANA,  CUBA, 


NIGHT  OF  FEBRUARY  FIFTEENTH,  EIGHTEEN 
HUNDRED  AND  NINETY-EIGHT. 


PROCEEDINGS 


Court  of  inquiry  convened  on  board  the  United  States  light-house  tender 
Mangrove,  by  virtue  of  a  precept  signed  by  Bear-Admiral  Montgomery 
Sicard,  United  States  Navy,  commander  in  chief  United  States  naval 
force  on  North  Atlantic  Station. 


FIRST  DAY. 


U.  S.  Light-House  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Monday,  February  21,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  above-mentioned  precept. 

Present:  Capt.  William  T.  Sampson,  United  States  Navy,  president; 
Capt.  French  E.  Chadwick,  United  States  Navy,  and  Lieut.  Commander 
William  P.  Potter,  United  States  Navy,  members;  and  Lieut.  Com- 
mander Adolph  Marix,  United  States  Navy,  judge  advocate. 

The  court  was  cleared  and  the  orders  constituting  it,  together  with 
all  the  accompanying  instructions,  were  read  aloud  and  appended, 
marked  as  follows : 

Precept,  together  with  two  accompanying  telegrams  forming  a  part 
of  it,  marked  "A." 

Letter  from  the  convening  authority  to  the  president  of  the  court, 
giving  certain  officers  the  right  to  be  present  at  the  investigation, 
marked  "B." 

Second  letter  from  the  convening  authority  to  the  president  of  the 
court,  allowing  any  other  persons  to  be  present  during  the  investigation 
should  the  evidence  develop  any  facts  which  might  implicate  such  per- 
sons, marked  "C."  All  other  matters  preliminary  to  the  inquiry  were 
determined,  and,  after  deciding  to  sit  with  closed  doors,  the  court  was 
opened. 

The  judge-advocate,  having  requested  and  received  permission,  intro- 
duced as  stenographer  Frederick  J.  Buenzle,  chief  yeoman,  United 
States  Navy. 

Captain  Sigsbee,  United  States  Navy,  commanding  the  U.  S.  battle 
ship  Maine,  whom  the  convening  authority  had  notified  of  his  right  to  be 
present  during  the  investigation,  appeared  and  requested  permission 
to  be  present  at  such  times  during  the  investigation  as  he  might  desire, 
but  did  not  want  any  counsel. 

The  judge-advocate  read  aloud  the  precept  and  accompanying 
instructions  heretofore  referred  to. 

Captain  Sigsbee  was  asked  if  he  objected  to  any  member  of  the  court, 
to  which  he  replied  in  the  negative. 

9 


10  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

The  members  were  severally  duly  sworn  by  the  judge- advocate,  and 
the  judge- advocate  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president,  all  of  which  oaths 
were  administered  according  to  law. 

Chief  Yeoman  Frederick  J.  Buenzle,  United  States  Navy,  was  duly 
sworn  as  stenographer  by  the  judge-advocate. 

All  witnesses  were  directed  to  withdraw. 

The  court  being  duly  organized,  the  inquiry  proceeded  as  follows : 

Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  United  States  Navy,  a  witness  called  by 
the  judge-advocate,  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

EXAMINATION   IN    CHIEF. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee;  captain,  United  States  Navy;  commanding 
U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  When  did  you  take  command  of  the  Maine? 

A.  On  the  10th  day  of  April,  1897. 

Q.  When  did  the  Maine  arrive  at  Havana  the  last  time  ? 

A.  On  the  24th  day  of  January,  1 898. 

Q.  About  what  time? 

A.  About  half  past  9  in  the  morning. 

Q.  Do  you  know,  or  have  you  any  reason  to  believe,  that  the  author- 
ities of  Havana  knew  of  the  Maine's  coming? 

A.  Yes;  I  understand  that  they  were  notified  by  the  United  States 
consul-general. 

Q.  Upon  your  arrival,  did  you  take  a  pilot? 

A.  I  did ;  I  took  an  official  pilot  sent  off  by  the  captain  of  the  port 
of  Havana. 

Q.  Hid  he  berth  the  Maine? 

A.  He  did. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  The  berth  is  in  the  man-of-war  anchorage  off  the  Machina,  or  the 
Shears.  It  is  to  all  appearances  one  of  the  regular  mooring  buoys  of 
the  place.  My  recollection  is  that  the  pilot  said  that  it  was  buoy  No. 
4.  Our  bearings,  taken  soon  after  mooring,  did  not  place  it  exactly 
according  to  the  charted  position  of  buoy  No.  4,  but  no  note  was  taken 
of  this  because  it  was  assumed  that  the  charted  position  might  repre- 
sent former  positions,  and  the  buoys  might  have  been  changed  some- 
what in  the  examinations  of  the  moorings. 

Q.  Have  you  been  to  Havana  before  frequently  or  recently? 

A.  I  was  here  about  1872,  and  again  about  1878. 

Q.  Do  you  know  if  you  were  placed  in  the  usual  berth  for  men-of-war? 

A.  No.  I  can  only  state  that  by  remarks  I  have  heard  since  the 
explosion. 

Q.  State  what  you  heard. 

A.  I  have  been  informed,  since  the  explosion  on  board  the  Maine,  by 
Captain  Stevens,  who  is  temporarily  in  command  of  the  steamer  City  of 
Washington,  of  the  Ward  Line  of  steamers,  that  he  had  never  known  in 
all  his  experience,  which  covers  visits  to  Havana  for  five  or  six  years, 
a  man-of-war  to  be  anchored  at  that  buoy,  and  that  he  had  rarely  known 
merchant  vessels  to  be  anchored  there,  and  that  it  was  the  least  used 
buoy  in  the  harbor. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  the  surroundings  when  first  moored  to 
this  buoy? 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  11 

A.  The  Spanish  man-of-war  Alfonso  XII  was  moored  in  the  posi- 
tion now  occupied  by  the  Fern — about  250  yards  to  the  northward  and 
westward  of  the  Maine.  The  German  ship  Gniesenau  was  anchored  at 
the  berth  now  occupied  by  the  Spanish  man-of-war  Segaspe,  which  is 
about  400  yards  about  due  north  from  the  Maine.  A  day  or  two  after 
the  arrival  of  the  Maine  the  German  man-of-war  Charlotte  came  in  and 
was  anchored  about  four  or  five  hundred  yards  to  the  southward  of 
the  Maine's  berth.  Other  vessels,  merchant  vessels,  came  and  went, 
anchored  and  moored  in  localities  more  or  less  remote,  from  200  yards 
upward. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  your  surroundings  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion  ? 

A.  It  was  a  calm  and  still  night.  At  the  time  of  the  accident  the 
Spanish  man-of-war  Alfonso  XII  was  at  the  berth,  as  before  stated. 
The  small  Spanish  dispatch  boat  Segaspe  had  come  out,  I  think,  the 
day  before  and  taken  the  berth  occupied  by  the  Spanish  man-of-war, 
the  Gniesenau  having  left.  The  steamer  City  of  Washington  was 
anchored  about  two  hundred  yards  to  the  southward  and  eastward  of 
the  Maine's  stern,  slightly  on  the  port  quarter.  That  is  as  much  as  I 
can  give.    Other  vessels  were  remote,  so  far  as  my  recollection  goes. 

Q.  When  did  you  coal  before  the  last  coaling1? 

A.  We  coaled  at  Key  West  within  a  week  of  the  time  of  our  arrival. 

Q.  How  much  coal  did  you  take  at  that  time,  if  you  remember1? 

A.  I  think  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons. 

Q.  Was  the  coal  regularly  inspected"? 

A.  My  recollection  is  that  it  was.  It  was  from  the  Government  coal 
pile,  and  we  had  the  usual  men  on  shore ;  and  while  I  can  not  now  state 
specifically,  it  was  our  invariable  custom  on  board  the  Maine  to  inspect 
all  coal  before  it  was  brought  on  board. 

Q,  How  much  coal  did  you  take  in  the  last  coaling  previous  to  this, 
and  where? 

A.  It  was  at  Key  West,  and  I  think  in  the  neighborhood  of  300  tons. 

Q.  Into  what  bunkers  was  the  coal  placed  at  these  coalings? 

A.  Generally  in  the  forward  bunkers,  because  it  was  customary  to 
use  coal  from  the  forward  bunkers  first.  These  bunkers  naturally,  there- 
fore, were  replenished  with  new  coal. 

Q.  There  is  a  peculiar  bunker  under  the  forward  turret,  abreast  the 
10-inch  magazine.     Do  you  know  when  that  was  last  emptied? 

A.  I  can  not  personally  recollect  that  particular  bunker. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  receive  any  report  from  the  chief  engineer  of  your 
ship  that  any  coal  had  been  too  long  in  any  bunker? 

A.  Never  that  I  can  recollect. 

Q.  Did  the  fire-alarms  in  the  bunkers  work? 

A.  They  were  sensitive.  They  worked  occasionally  when  there  was 
no  undue  heat  in  the  bunkers,  on  which  occasions  we  invariably 
examined  the  bunkers  and  got  a  report. 

Q.  Eegarding  inflammables  and  paints  on  board  the  Maine,  were  the 
regulations  strictly  carried  out  in  regard  to  the  stowage? 

A.  Strictly,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  and  my  orders  were  concerned. 
I  was  very  particular  on  points  of  that  kind.  I  was  especially  particu- 
lar in  my  directions  to  the  chief  engineer  concerning  the  disposition  of 
waste  which  had  been  used.  He  had  informed  me  that  it  was  always 
kept  in  a  covered  metal  bucket  until  thrown  overboard  with  the  ashes. 
He  has  since  informed  me  that  it  was  habitual  to  throw  it  overboard 
every  day  with  the  ashes. 

Q.  How  often  did  you  discharge  ashes  in  Havana? 

A.  I  can  not  now  recollect;  but  I  remember  giving  certain  directions 


12  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

in  connection  with  hired  lighters  and  not  dumping  in  the  harbor.  The 
chief  engineer  was  generally  very  solicitous  about  getting  ashes  out  of 
the  ship  promptly. 

Q.  Where  were  ashes  kept  until  discharged  ? 

A.  Those  that  I  saw  were  dumped  about  the  region  of  the  bulkhead 
between  the  two  fire  rooms.  There  was  a  passage  out  of  the  forward 
part  of  the  forward  fire  room  whicli  would  have  been  blocked  by  ashes. 

Q.  Eegarding  paints  and  inflammables,  was  there  not  a  paint  room 
well  forward  below  the  berth  deck  ? 

A.  The  paint  room  was  in  what  is  called  the  eyes  of  the  ship,  just 
below  the  berth  deck,  the  extreme  forward  compartment. 

Q.  What  were  the  regulations  in  regard  to  that  paint  room?  Was 
the  painter  allowed  to  stow  any  inflammables  there? 

A.  He  was  not.  The  inflammables  were  stowed  in  chests  aft,  accord- 
ing to  regulations,  and  when  inflammables  were  in  excess  of  our  chest 
capacity  they  were  allowed  to  be  kept  in  the  bathroom  of  the  port  or 
admiral's  cabin. 

Q.  I  believe  Japan  dryers,  turpentine,  and  such  were  kept  forward 
inside  the  superstructure.    Am  I  not  correct? 

A.  That  is  my  recollection. 

Q.  Eegarding  the  electric  plant  of  the  Maine,  have  you  any  reason 
to  believe,  from  your  observation  of  the  lights  or  from  any  reports  that 
may  have  been  made  to  you,  that  there  had  been  serious  grounding? 

A.  None  whatever;  and  there  was  no  sudden  flaring  up  of  the  lights 
before  the  explosion. 

Q.  No  perceptible  disturbance  of  the  lights? 

A.  None  whatever;  there  was  a  total  and  sudden  eclipse. 

Q.  What  were  the  regulations  of  the  ship  in  regard  to  taking  the 
temperature  of  the  magazines,  etc.  ? 

A.  There  were  no  special  regulations  other  than  those  that  were 
regulations.  The  magazines  were  examined  according  to  regulations, 
and  reports  made  accordingly  and  sent  to  the  Department.  I  always 
examined  the  temperature  myself  and  conversed  with  the  ordnance 
officer  as  to  the  effect  of  various  temperatures  on  the  contents  of  the 
magazines,  and  in  his  opinion,  and  my  own,  the  temperatures  were 
never  near  the  danger  point.  I  do  not  think  there  was  any  laxity  in  this 
direction.  I  can  not  recollect  any.  When  I  joined  the  ship  I  found  it 
was  considered  unnecessary  to  use  slippers  in  the  magazine,  and  I 
directed  that  they  should  be  used. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  any  work  going  on  in  the  magazine  or  shell  rooms 
on  the  day  of  the  disaster? 

A.  My  recollection  is  that  the  keys  were  called  for  that  morning  at 
quarters  in  the  usual  way.  I  can  not  recollect  any  other  call  for  the 
keys  on  that  day. 

Q.  Were  the  keys  properly  returned  after  quarters? 

A.  Yes;  so  far  as  I  can  recollect.  The  regulation  reports  were  made 
at  8  o'clock  by  the  executive  officer.  The  keys  of  all  the  shell  rooms 
and  magazines,  and  the  spare  keys,  have  been  recovered  by  the  diver 
in  my  stateroom,  where  they  were  always  kept. 

Q.  At  the  time  of  the  disaster  what  boilers  were  being  used? 

A.  The  two  after  boilers  in  the  after  fire  room.  More  than  one  boiler 
was  in  use,  for  the  reason  that  our  hydraulic  system  was  somewhat 
leaky. 

Q.  Please  inform  the  court  in  a  general  way,  giving  any  particulars 
you  wish  to  give,  in  regard  to  your  relations  to  the  Spanish  authorities 
and  native  authorities  or  people,  from  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the 
Maine  until  the  time  of  your  disaster. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  13 

A.  My  relations  with  the  officials  were  outwardly  cordial,  and  I  have 
no  ground  for  assuming  that  they  were  not  really  cordial.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  autonomistic  council  of  the  Government,  however,  seemed 
to  have  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Navy  Department  the  fact  that 
I  did  not  visit  them.  They  made  me  no  suggestions  to  visit  them. 
From  the  letters  and  telegrams  received  from  the  Navy  Department 
there  seems  to  have  been  some  embarrassment  caused  the  Government 
at  Washington  by  the  fact  that  I  made  them  no  visit.  I  took  the  ground 
to  the  department  that  it  was  unknown  etiquette  to  call  on  the  civil 
members  of  the  colonial  government  other  than  the  governor,  but  that 
I  would  have  exceeded  etiquette  at  anytime  on  suggestion  from  the 
council.  Without  waiting  for  orders  I  made  a  visit  afterwards.  My 
visit  was  pleasantly  received,  and  promptly  returned  by  certain  mem- 
bers of  the  council.  They  sent  on  board  a  large  party  of  ladies  a  day  or 
two  afterwards.  The  president  of  the  council,  on  board  the  Maine^ 
made  me  a  very  cordial  address,  which  I  could  not  understand,  and 
which  was  interpreted  to  me  briefly.  I  replied  briefly,  expressing  kind 
sentiments  and  a  hope  for  the  continuance  of  cordial  relations  between 
Spain  and  the  United  States.  Fancying  that  some  expression  cordial 
to  the  colonial  or  autonomistic  government  might  be  expected  of  me, 
I  evaded  the  point,  and  used  only  this  expression:  "I  beg  to  express 
my  admiration  for  the  high  purpose  of  your  honorable  body."  My 
reply  was  afterwards  printed  in  at  least  two  papers  in  Havana,  but  the 
terms  made  me  favor  autonomistic  government  in  the  Island.  I  am 
informed  that  the  autonomistic  government  in  Havana  is  unpopular 
among  a  large  class  of  Spanish  and  Cuban  residents.  I  have  no  means 
of  knowing  whether  my  apparent  interference  in  the  political  concerns 
of  the  island  had  any  relation  to  the  destruction  of  the  Maine. 

Q.  Was  there  ever  any  demonstration  of  animosity  by  people  afloat1? 

A.  Never  on  shore,  so  far  as  I  am  informed;  but  afloat  there  was  a 
demonstration.  It  was  the  first  Sunday  after  our  arrival,  on  board  a 
ferryboat,  densely  crowded  with  people,  both  civil  and  military,  who 
were  returning  to  Havana  from  a  bull  fight  in  Eegla.  The  demonstra- 
tion consisted  of  yells,  whistles,  and  apparently  derisive  calls  ema- 
nating from  about  thirty  or  forty  people  at  most.     It  was  not  general. 

Q.  During  the  stay  of  the  Maine  at  Havana  did  you  take  other  than 
the  ordinary  precautions  which  are  usually  taken  on  every  man-of-war 
for  her  protection? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Please  state  them  fully. 

A.  I  had  sentries  on  the  forecastle  and  poop,  quartermaster  and  sig- 
nal boy  on  the  bridge,  signal  boy  on  the  poop ;  the  corporal  of  the  guard 
especially  instructed  to  look  out  for  the  port  gangway;  the  officer  of 
the  deck  and  quartermaster  especially  instructed  to  look  out  for  the 
starboard  gangway;  a  quarter  watch  was  kept  on  deck  all  night;  sen- 
tries' cartridge  boxes  were  filled,  their  arms  kept  loaded,  a  number  of 
rounds  of  rapid-firing  ammunition  kept  in  the  pilot  house,  and,  in  the 
spare  captain's  pantry,  under  the  after  superstructure,  additional 
charges  of  shell  close  at  hand  for  the  secondary  battery;  steam  kept  up 
in  two  boilers  instead  of  one;  especial  instructions  given  to  watch  care- 
fully all  the  hydraulic  gear  and  report  defects ;  the  officer  of  the  deck 
charged  with  the  necessity  for  making  detailed  reports  to  me,  even  in 
minor  matters.  I  had  personally  instructed  the  master  at  arms  and 
the  orderly  sergeant  to  keep  a  careful  eye  on  everybody  that  came 
on  board,  and  to  charge  all  their  subordinates  to  the  same  purpose.  I 
instructed  them  that,  when  any  persons  came  on  board  to  go  below, 
they  were  to  go  with  them,  and  carefully  observe  any  packages  that 


14  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

might  be  held,  on  the  supposition  that  dynamite  or  other  high  explo- 
sive might  be  employed ;  and  to  afterwards  inspect  the  routes  these  peo- 
ple had  taken,  and  never  to  lose  sight  of  the  importance  of  my  order. 
I  further  instructed  the  marine  officer  to  make  at  least  two  visits  dur- 
ing the  night  to  the  posts  of  the  vessel.  The  whole  purport  of  my 
orders  and  directions  was  that  we  should  consider  the  Maine  in  a  posi- 
tion demanding  extreme  vigilance.  Doubtless  1  gave  many  other 
detailed  orders  of  a  minor  character  that  I  can  not  now  recall. 

Q.  Eegarding  strangers  being  in  the  ship,  at  what  time  were  they 
compelled  to  leave  the  ship? 

A.  I  think  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  was  rather  severe  on 
desultory  visitors.  Very  few  visited  the  ship,  except  people  of  the 
highest  social  standing  in  the  city.  They  came  commonly  from  2  to  say 
5  o'clock.  They  were  always  accompanied  about  the  ship  by  officers, 
and  of  course  under  the  supervisory  orders  of  the  master  at  arms  and 
sergeant  of  marines.  People  were  allowed  to  visit  the  ship  from  about 
10  to  12,  and  about  1  to  4.  I  think  there  were  but  two  visits  of  Spanish 
military  officers.  Once,  about  two  weeks  ago,  a  party  of  five  or  six 
Spanish  officers  came  on  board  during  my  absence.  They  were  reported 
to  me  as  having  been  constrained,  and  not  desirous  to  accept  much 
courtesy.  They  accepted  no  refreshments,  but  I  afterwards  learned 
that  it  is  Spanish  custom  not  to  accept  refreshments  unless  they  are  at 
hand  at  the  time  the  offer  is  made.  On  another  occasion,  about  the 
same  time,  a  Spanish  officer  came  off  with  his  wife.  He  made  a  visit 
to  my  cabin,  and  was  shown  about  the  ship  by  an  officer  under  my  direc- 
tion. I  invited  Spanish  officers  to  visit  the  ship ;  in  fact,  I  made  con- 
siderable effort  to  get  them  on  board  socially  in  order  to  show  good  will 
according  to  the  spirit  of  the  Maine's  visit  to  Havana;  but  with  the 
exceptions  noted,  no  military  officer  of  Spain  visited  the  ship  socially,  so 
far  as  I  can  remember.  I  know  that  the  purser  of  the  Alfonso  XII 
made  a  social  visit;  but  I  can  not  recollect  a  purely  social  visit  from 
other  Spanish  officers.  The  ward-room  officers  of  the  Maine,  perhaps, 
have  further  information  on  this  point. 

Q.  Among  the  precautions  which  you  took  was  the  fact  of  having 
extra  lookouts  on  the  deck.  Was  there  ever  any  report  of  any  unau- 
thorized boats  attempting  to  approach  the  ship  and  being  ordered  off? 

A.  Never,  to  my  knowledge. 

Q.  On  the  night  of  the  disaster,  were  all  your  extra  precautions  in 
force?    I  mean,  in  regard  to  quarter  watches? 

A.  I  assume  that  they  were;  they  were  never  rescinded,  and  up  to 
the  night  of  the  explosion,  as  far  as  my  observation  could  go,  my 
knowledge  is  that  they  were  carried  out.  I  was  especially  impressed 
during  the  whole  visit  here  by  the  prompt  tendency  of  the  sentries  to 
report  any  infractions  of  orders  on  the  part  of  the  crew. 

Q.  At  the  time  of  the  accident,  do  you  know  what  boats  were  down, 
and  where? 

A.  I  assume  that  one  of  the  cutters  was  down,  and  one  of  the  steam 
launches.  I  think  the  first  steam  launch  was  down.  The  steam  launch, 
I  have  since  been  informed,  was  riding  at  the  starboard  boom,  and  that 
one  of  her  crew  was  saved.    He  is  now  in  the  hospital  at  Havana. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  night  was  it  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  It  was  a  very  quiet  and  warm  night,  and  I  remember  distinctly 
that  the  echoes  of  the  bugle  at  tattoo  were  singularly  distinct  and. 
pleasant.  A  little  rain  fell  after  the  explosion,  which  may  have  been 
precipitated  by  the  concussion  of  the  explosion. 

Q.  Was  it  a  dry  night? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  15 

A.  There  were  stars,  but  I  think  it  was  somewhat  overcast.  I  think 
I  saw  several  stars  after  the  accident,  but  it  was  somewhat  overcast 
according  to  my  recollection. 

Q.  How  was  the  Maine  heading  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  Approximately  northwest.  She  pointed  toward  the  shears — some- 
what to  the  right  of  the  shears,  near  the  admiral's  residence. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time? 

A.  I  was  writing  at  my  port-cabin  table,  after  side.    I  was  dressed. 

Q.  Please  give  your  experience  in  full? 

A.  I  was  just  closing  a  letter  to  my  family  when  I  felt  the  crash  of 
the  explosion.  It  was  a  bursting,  rending,  and  crashing  sound  or  roar 
of  immense  volume,  largely  metallic  in  its  character.  It  was  succeeded 
by  a  metallic  sound — probably  of  falling  debris — a  trembling  and  lurch- 
ing motion  of  the  vessel,  then  an  impression  of  subsidence,  attended 
by  an  eclipse  of  the  electric  lights  and  intense  darkness  within  the 
cabin.  I  knew  immediately  that  the  Maine  had  been  blown  up  and 
that  she  was  sinking.  I  hurried  to  the  starboard  cabin  ports,  thinking 
it  might  be  necessary  for  me  to  make  my  exit  in  that  way.  Upon  look- 
ing out  I  decided  that  I  could  go  by  the  passage  leading  to  the  super- 
structure. I  therefore  took  the  latter  route,  feeling  my  way  along  and 
steadying  myself  by  the  bulkheads.  The  superstructure  was  filled  with 
smoke,  and  it  was  dark.  Nearing  the  outer  entrance  I  met  Private 
Anthony,  the  orderly  at  the  cabin  door  at  the  time.  He  ran  into  me 
and,  as  I  remember,  apologized  in  some  fashion,  and  reported  to  me 
that  the  ship  had  been  blown  up  and  was  sinking. 

I  reached  the  quarter-deck,  asked  a  few  questions  of  those  standing 
about  me — Lieutenant  Commander  Wainwright,  I  think,  for  one — then 
I  asked  the  orderly  for  the  time.  He  said  that  the  exact  time  of  the 
explosion  was  9.40  p.  m.  I  proceeded  to  the  poop  deck,  stood  on  the 
side  rail,  and  held  on  to  the  main  rigging  in  order  to  see  over  the  poop 
awning,  which  was  baggy  and  covered  with  debris ;  also  in  order  that 
I  might  observe  details  in  the  black  mass  ahead.  I  directed  the  exec- 
utive officer  to  post  sentries  all  around  the  ship,  but  soon  saw  that 
there  were  no  marines  available,  and  no  place  forward  to  post  them. 
Not  being  quite  clear  as  to  the  condition  of  things  forward,  I  next 
directed  the  forward  magazine  to  be  flooded  if  practicable,  and  about 
the  same  time  shouted  out  myself  for  perfect  silence  everywhere.  This 
was,  I  think,  repeated  by  the  executive  officer.  The  surviving  officers 
were  about  me  at  the  time  on  the  poop.  I  was  informed  that  the  for- 
ward magazine  was  already  under  water,  and  after  inquiring  about  the 
after  magazine  was  told  that  it  was  also  under  water,  as  shown  by 
the  condition  below  reported  by  those  coming  from  the  wardroom  and 
steerage. 

About  this  time  fire  broke  out  in  the  mass  forward,  over  the  central 
superstructure,  and  I  inquired  as  to  the  spare  ammunition  in  the  cap- 
tain's pantry.  That  region  was  found  to  be  subsiding  very  fast.  At 
this  time  I  observed,  among  the  shouts  or  noises  apparently  on  shore, 
that  faint  cries  were  coming  from  the  water,  and  I  could  see  dimly 
white,  floating  bodies,  which  gave  me  a  better  knowledge  of  the  real 
situation  than  anything  else.  I  at  once  ordered  all  boats  to  be  lowered, 
when  it  was  reported  that  there  were  only  two  boats  available,  namely, 
the  gig  and  whaleboat.  Both  were  lowered  and  manned  by  officers  and 
men,  and  by  my  direction  they  left  the  ship  and  assisted  in  saving  the 
wounded  jointly  with  other  boats  that  had  arrived  on  the  scene  from 
the  Spanish  man-of-war,  from  the  steamer  City  of  Washington,  and  from 
other  sources.    Later — I  can  not  state  precisely  how  long — these  two 


16  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

boats  of  the  Maine  returned  to  the  starboard  quarter  alongside,  and 
reported  that  they  had  gathered  in  from  the  wreck  all  the  wounded 
that  could  be  found  and  had  transferred  them  to  the  other  boats — to  the 
Alfonso  XII  or  to  the  City  of  Washington. 

The  poop  deck  of  the  Maine,  the  highest  point,  was  by  that  time 
level  with  the  gig's  gunwale  while  she  was  afloat  in  the  water  along- 
side. The  fire  amidships  was  burning  more  fiercely  and  the  spare 
ammunition  in  the  pilot  house  was  explodiug  in  detail.  We  had  done 
everything  that  could  be  done  so  far  as  I  could  see.  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander Wain wright  whispered  to  me  that  he  thought  the  10-inch  maga- 
zine forward  had  been  thrown  up  into  the  burning  mass,  and  might 
explode  in  time.  I  directed  him  then  to  get  everybody  into  the  boats 
over  the  stern,  and  this  was  done,  although  there  was  some  little  delay 
in  curbing  the  extreme  politeness  of  the  officers,  who  wanted  to  help 
me  into  the  boat.  I  directed  them  to  go  first,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
and  I  followed  and  got  into  the  gig.  We  proceeded  to  the  steamer 
City  of  Washington,  and  on  the  way  I  shouted,  to  the  boats  to  leave  the 
vicinity  of  the  wreck,  and  that  there  might  be  an  explosion.  I  got  Mr. 
Sylvester  Scovell  to  translate  my  desire  to  one  or  two  boats  which  were 
at  that  time  somewhat  nearer  the  fire  than  we  ourselves  were. 

Having  succeeded  in  this,  I  went  on  board  the  City  of  Washington, 
where  I  found  our  wounded  all  below  in  the  dining  saloon  on  mattresses, 
covered  up,  and  being  carefully  attended  by  the  officers  and  crew  of 
that  vessel.  Every  attention  that  the  resources  of  the  vessel  admitted 
was  being  rapidly  brought  into  use.  I  then  went  on  deck  and  observed 
the  wreck  for  a  few  minutes,  and  gave  directions  to  have  a  muster  taken 
on  board  the  City  of  Washington  and  other  vessels,  and  sat  down  in  the 
captain's  cabin  and  dictated  a  telegram  to  the  Navy  Department.  At 
this  time  various  Spanish  officers — civil,  military,  and  naval — appeared 
on  board,  in  their  own  behalf  and  in  representative  capacity,  expressing 
sympathy  and  sorrow  for  the  accident.  The  representatives  of  General 
Blanco  and  of  the  admiral  of  the  station  came  on  board,  and  the  civil 
governor  of  the  province  was  on  board  in  person.  I  asked  them  to 
excuse  me  for  a  few  minutes,  until  I  completed  my  telegram  to  the 
Navy  Department. 

After  finishing  the  telegram  and  putting  it  in  the  hands  of  a  mes- 
senger to  be  taken  on  shore,  I  conversed  for  a  few  minutes  with  the 
various  Spanish  gentlemen  around  me,  thanking  them  for  the  visit 
and  their  sympathy.  I  was  asked  by  many  of  them  the  cause  of  the 
explosion,  and  I  invariably  answered  that  I  must  await  further  investi- 
gation. For  a  long  time  the  rapid-fire  ammunition  continued  to 
explode  in  detail.  The  number  of  the  wounded  was  reported  to  me 
later.  I  have  some  difficulty  in  remembering  figures.  I  think  we  found 
about  84  or  85  men  that  night  who  survived.  It  was  also  reported 
to  me  that  the  wounded  on  board  Spanish  vessels  had  been  taken  to 
the  hospitals  on  shore,  as  were  also  the  survivors  who  had  reached  the 
machina,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  shears  on  shore.  To  keep  a  clear 
head  for  the  emergency  I  turned  in  about  2  o'clock,  getting  little  sleep 
that  night,  owing  to  the  distressing  groans  of  the  wounded. 

Q.  By  the  time  you  reached  the  quarter  deck,  were  all  the  large 
explosions  over"? 

A.  So  far  as  my  experience  is  concerned  there  was  simply  one 
impression  of  an  overwhelming  explosion.  I  do  not  recollect  details. 
I  have  already  stated  the  explosions  of  minor  character. 

Q.  But  you  yourself  saw  no  large  upshoot  of  flame? 

A.  When  I  came  from  the  cabin,  I  was  practically  blinded  for  a  few 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  1 7 

seconds.  I  thought  only  of  the  vessel,  and  took  no  note  of  the  phe- 
nomena of  explosion.  It  is  probable  that  the  explosive  column  had 
subsided  wholly  or  practically  by  the  time  I  reached  the  deck.  I  am 
not  sure,  because  of  the  intense  blackness. 

Q.  You  state  in  your  story  that  the  City  of  Washington  attended  to 
the  wounded.     Did  not  the  Spanish  man-of-war  also  do  the  same? 

A.  I  am  not  very  sure  personally,  but  the  reports  were  that  they 
were  doing  all  that  was  possible.  There  was  no  reference  to  me  on  the 
part  of  the  Spanish  officers  for  sending  the  wounded  on  shore.  I 
assume  and  believe  that  they  did  everything  in  their  power  to  care  for 
the  wounded,  and  have  continued  to  do  so  most  conscientiously  ever 
since. 

Q.  How  many  were  wounded;  how  many  killed;  and  how  many  were 
saved  not  wounded  % 

A.  I  would  have  to  refer  to  my  figures  for  that,  and  they  are  not  now 
at  hand.  The  muster,  I  think,  shows  101  saved,  including  the  wounded, 
and  253  lost.  Some  of  the  wounded  have  since  died.  My  duties  have 
been  too  complex  since  the  explosion  to  enable  me  to  memorize  all  the 
figures. 

Q.  From  your  examination  of  the  wreck,  as  far  as  you  have  been  able 
to  make,  what  magazines  or  shell  rooms,  if  any,  should  you  say  were 
blown  up  ? 

A.  From  the  appearance  of  things  about  the  wreck  it  is  extremely 
difficult  to  come  to  any  conclusion.  The  center  of  the  explosion  appears 
to  have  been  beneath  and  a  little  forward  of  the  conning  tower,  and  on 
the  port  side.  The  forward  part  of  the  superstructure  has  been 
thrown  upward  backward  over  the  after  part  and  toward  the  starboard 
side,  indicating  an  explosion  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship.  In  the 
region  of  the  center  or  axis  of  explosion  was  the  6  inch  reserve  mag- 
azine, which  contained  very  little  powder — probably,  I  am  informed, 
about  300  pounds.  The  10  inch  magazine  is  in  the  general  region, 
but  it  is  on  the  starboard  side,  under  the  forward  turret,  which  is 
well  out  on  the  starboard  side.  Over  the  10-inch  magazine  in  the 
loading  room  of  the  turret,  and  in  the  adjoining  passage,  and  well  on 
the  starboard  side,  were  a  number  of  10-inch  shell,  permanently  placed. 
There  were  also  several  additional  shell  in  the  loading  room.  It  is 
difficult,  therefore,  to  conceive  that  the  explosion  involved  the  10-inch 
magazine,  because  of  the  location  of  the  explosion,  and  because  I  have 
had  no  reports  that  any  10-inch  shell  were  hurled  into  the  air  by  the 
explosion.  The  violence  of  the  explosion,  although  not  its  immediate 
locality,  indicates  that  the  10-inch  magazine  may  have  been  involved. 

Q.  Where  was  the  10-inch  shell  room  ? 

A.  The  10-inch  shell  room  was  abreast  the  10-inch  magazine  on  the 
port  side.    It  opened  on  the  port  side  of  the  vessel. 

Q.  Was  it  not  between  the  reserve  6-inch  and  10-inch  magazines  f 

A.  It  was. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  thickness  of  the  bulkhead  between  those  three 
divisions? 

A.  I  can  not  recollect.  I  should  say  that  it  was  of  ordinary  metal, 
the  thickness  of  a  bulkhead  of  similar  construction  in  other  parts  of 
the  ship. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  was  between  the  coal  bunker  and  the  magazine  ? 

A.  I  think  nothing  but  the  ordinary  steel  plate.    It  is  so  aft. 

Q.  Where  was  the  small-arm  ammunition  locker  forward,  and  what 
was  in  it? 

A.  We  had  received  a  new  supply  of  ammunition,  and  this  was  kept 
S.  Doc.  207 2 


18      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

forward  of  the  thwartship  armor  bulkhead.  I  mean  the  small-arm  and 
rapid-fire  ammunition. 

Q.  Was  there  any  smokeless  powder? 

A.  There  was  no  great  gun  smokeless  powder  ammunition.  All  the 
great  gun  ammunition  was  the  ordinary  brown  powder. 

Q.  Was  there  not  a  6-inch  ammunition  room  forward  of  the  small- 
arm  ammunition  rooms? 

A.  There  was ;  supply  for  the  forward.  C-inch  guns. 

Q.  On  what  side  was  the  powder  stowed  in  that  one? 

A.  I  have  visited  it,  but  I  can  not  now  exactly  recall  the  exact  posi- 
tion of  the  stowage.    I  know  the  powder  chute  is  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Do  you  think  that  the  forward  6-inch  magazine  blew  up  ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  so.  I  can  not  find  reason  to  suppose  so.  One  man 
at  least  was  blown  out  of  the  forward  superstructure  into  the  water. 
It  is  more  than  probable  that  he  would  have  been  blown  to  atoms  if 
that  magazine  had  exploded. 

Q.  Where  did  you  keep  your  gun  cotton? 

A.  Aft,  under  the  cabin.  The  war  heads  were  all  stowed  in  that 
part  of  the  ship  which  was  not  affected  by  the  explosion.  It  was 
away  aft. 

Q.  Where  were  the  gun-cotton  primers  and  detonators  kept? 

A.  They  were  always  kept  in  my  cabin. 

Q.  Was  any  torpedo  of  the  Maine  fitted  with  its  war  head  at  the 
time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  It  was  not.  They  were  put  in  especially  good  condition,  but 
none  were  fitted  with  war  heads. 

Q.  Please  state  all  the  steps  you  have  taken  since  the  accident  to 
ascertain  its  cause,  and  any  results  you  may  have  obtained. 

A.  I  have  examined  the  wreck  myself,  conversed  with  other  officers 
and  men,  and  to  some  slight  extent,  in  a  categorical  way,  with  the 
Spanish  admiral.  I  have  had  a  board  of  three  officers  make  inquiries 
throughout  the  bay,  but  I  have  not  yet  received  the  reports  from  all  the 
officers ;  nor  have  I  had  time  to  read  the  preliminary  reports  now  in 
hand.  I  have  not  sent  down  any  divers  until  this  morning,  not  having 
had  the  necessary  facilities.  The  best  divers  here  are  apparently  in 
the  employ  of  private  parties,  and  since  the  Spanish  authorities  are 
very  much  averse  to  an  investigation  except  officially,  on  the  ground, 
as  stated  by  the  Spanish  admiral,  that  the  honor  of  Spain  is  involved, 
I  have  foreborne  to  examine  the  submarine  portion  of  the  wreck  for  the 
cause  of  the  explosion  until  this  morning.  The  divers  of  the  fleet  are 
now  at  work.  I  have  had  divers  down  in  the  cabin,  and  have  recovered 
by  that  means  the  cipher  code  and  magazine  keys. 

Q.  What  was  the  state  or  the  condition  of  the  Maine  as  far  as  dis- 
cipline was  concerned? 

A.  It  was  excellent.  This  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  the  Maine  was 
chosen  for  the  duty  on  which  she  was  engaged.  She  would  not  have 
been  chosen  had  she  been  in  any  other  than  good  discipline.  The 
marine  guard  was  in  excellent  condition.  The  medical  reports  from 
the  medical  department  will  show,  I  think,  that  about  one  man  and 
one-quarter  per  diem  were  on  the  sick  list  during  the  past  year.  In  the 
paymaster's  department  I  think  I  am  justified  in  saying  that  none  of 
the  reports  of  the  paymaster  to  the  Government  at  Washington  were 
returned  to  the  vessel  for  correction  during  my  period  of  command.  In 
the  engineer's  department  the  vessel  was  always  ready  and  always 
responsive.  I  can  recollect  no  letter  from  any  source  relating  to  the 
engineer's  department  which  could  be  considered  in  the  least  of  an 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.      19 

'adverse  nature,  except  that  the  bureau  once  objected  to  a  boiler  being 
used  in  any  degree  as  a  tank.  I  think  the  punishment  reports  of  the 
Maine  are  as  small  as  those  of  any  other  vessel  of  the  Navy  in  propor- 
tion to  complement.  They  were  uncommonly  small.  A  quieter,  better - 
n«i/ared,  well-ordered,  and  apparently  satisfied  crew  I  have  never 
known  on  board  any  vessel  in  which  I  have  served. 

Q.  Have  you  any  fault  to  find  with  the  behavior  of  any  officer  or  man 
at  the  time  of  the  disaster? 

A.  None.  I  consider  that  the  conduct  of  all  was  admirable.  The 
behavior  of  the  officers  toward  me  personally  and  the  prompt  and  re- 
sponsive recognition  of  my  authority  was  admirable,  and  instances  of 
bravery  are  known  both  among  the  officers  and  crew  in  the  direction 
of  rescuing  shipmates. 

(The  judge-advocate  announced  that  at  present  he  had  no  further 
questions  to  ask  Captain  Sigsbee.) 

Examination  by  the  Court: 

Q.  What  is  the  highest  temperature  you  remember  to  have  been  re- 
ported in  the  forward  magazines? 

A.  The  highest  temperature  that  I  remember — and  I  think  I  can  recall 
the  figures — was  112°;  but  that  was  in  the  after  magazine,  where  the 
temperatures  were  higher  than  in  the  forward  magazines.  I  do  not 
recollect  the  temperature  in  the  forward  magazine,  because  they  were 
not  so  high  as  in  the  after  magazine. 

Q.  Was  any  loose  powder  kept  in  the  magazines,  or  was  it  all  stowed 
in  the  usual  air  or  water-tight  cylinders,  which  each  contains  a  charge? 

A.  I  never  permitted  any  to  be  kept  loose,  and  do  not  believe  that 
any  was  so  kept. 

Q.  What  was  the  status  of  the  coal  bunkers  next  to  the  forward 
magazines?    Were  they  full,  or  had  there  been  any  coal  used  out? 

A.  All  the  bunkers  were  ventilated  through  air  tubes,  examined 
weekly  by  the  chief  engineer,  and  otherwise  as  was  necessary,  and 
they  were  connected  electrically  to  the  annunciator  near  my  cabin  door. 
The  forward  coal  bunker  on  the  port  side  was  full,  so  I  understand; 
the  forward  coal  bunker  on  the  starboard  side  adjoining  the  magazine 
has  been  reported  to  me  as  being  one-half  full,  and  it  was  in  use  at  the 
time  of  the  explosion. 

(The  judge  advocate  here  informed  Captain  Sigsbee  that  no  further 
testimony  would  be  taken  from  him  at  present,  and  that  he  should 
appear  to  morrow,  Tuesday,  at  10  a.  m,,  when  the  testimony  given  by 
him  to-day  will  be  submitted  to  him  for  his  approval.) 

The  court  then,  at  1  p.  m.,  adjourned  to  meet  to  morrow,  Tuesday,  the 
22d  instant,  on  board  the  United  States  light-house  tender  Mangrove,  at 
10  o'clock  a.  m. 


SECOND   DAY. 

U.  S.  Light-House  Tender  Mangrove, 

Harbor  of  Havana, 
Tuesday,  February  22,  1898 — 11  o'clock  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday,  but  was  one 
hour  late  on  account  of  official  visits  to  the  captain-general  and  the 
admiral  commanding  the  naval  forces. 

Present :  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  Capt. 
Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  U.  S.  Navy. 


20  DESTRUCTION   OP   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

The  record,  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  read  and  approved. 
Lieut.  G.  F.  M.  Holman,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness,  and  was 
sworn  by  the  president. 

Examination  by  the  judge-advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station. 

A.  George  F.  M.  Holman,  Lieutenant,  U.  S.  Navy,  stationed  on  board 
the  IT.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  When  did  you  join  the  Maine  ? 

A.  When  she  went  into  commission,  on  the  17th  day  of  September, 
1895. 

Q.  What  duty  have  you  performed  on  board  the  Maine  during  that 
time? 

A.  The  duty  of  navigator  and  ordnance  officer. 

Q.  Did  this  duty  also  put  you  in  charge  of  the  electric  plant? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  when  she  last  came  into  the  harbor 
of  Havana,  Cuba? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  Upon  what  day  was  that? 

A.  The  date  of  arrival — January  24,  1898,  this  year. 

Q.  You  have  been  on  duty  on  board  the  Maine  ever  since? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  In  what  depth  of  water  was  the  Maine  moored? 

A.  Five  and  a  half  fathoms.  Around  the  mooring  buoy  the  water 
varied  in  depth  from  5£  to  6  fathoms. 

Q.  What  kind  of  bottom? 

A.  Very  soft,  muddy  bottom. 

Q.  Were  you  on  duty  on  board  the  Maine  from  tbe  time  she  arrived 
here  up  to  the  present? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Kegarding  the  magazines  of  the  Maine,  what  precautions  do  you 
know  were  taken  for  safety  whenever  the  magazines  were  opened  ? 

A.  The  usual  precautions  were  taken  with  regard  to  all  lights,  if  any 
were  burning,  and  to  stop  smoking.  The  police,  the  master  at  arms, 
and  others  were  always  notified,  and  word  sent,  in  fact,  all  over  the 
ship.  The  galley  was  screened  and  the  flag  was  hoisted  in  receiving 
ammunition  on  board,  or  putting  it  out.  On  all  occasions,  when  maga- 
zines were  opened,  word  was  sent,  as  already  said,  all  over  the  ship. 

Q.  What  precautions  were  taken  by  the  men  in  entering  the  maga- 
zines or  shell  rooms? 

A.  The  question  came  up  some  time  ago  as  to  putting  on  the  maga- 
zine shoes,  that  is,  a  short  time  after  Captain  Sigsbee  took  command. 
Prior  to  that  time  the  order  had  not  been  enforced  in  regard  to  maga- 
zine shoes  and  slippers.  Captain  Sigsbee  gave  the  order  to  make  them 
wear  their  magazine  shoes  when  they  went  down. 

Q.  Were  all  other  precautions  taken  described  by  regulations? 

A.  Yes;  so  far  as  I  know. 

Q.  Please  state  whether  any  work  had  been  going  on  in  the  maga- 
zine or  shell  rooms,  or  in  the  small-arm  ammunition  rooms,  within  a  day 
or  so  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  On  Monday  we  had  our  usual  drills,  and  part  of  it  being  a  drill 
of  the  powder  division  at  their  stations.  I  do  not  know  of  any  work 
going  on  around  the  magazines.  I  would,  no  doubt,  have  known  if  any 
had  been  undertaken. 

Q.  Was  Monday  the  day  of  the  explosion? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  21 

A.  No;  Tuesday  was  the  day  of  the  explosion. 

Q.  On  the  night  of  the  explosion,  at  8  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when 
the  reports  are  usually  made,  were  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms 
reported  secure? 

A.  That  I  do  not  know.    The  reports  were  not  made  to  me. 

Q.  But  you  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  any  of  them  were  opened? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Who  was  in  charge  of  the  gunner's  work  at  that  time? 

A.  Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Brofeld;  the  gunner  had  not  been  on  duty 
for  something  like  three  weeks. 

Q.  Had  Brofeld  been  chief  gunner's  mate  of  the  Maine  during  her 
whole  commission  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  consider  him  a  thoroughly  reliable  man  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  the  individual  members  of  the  gunner's  gang 
reliable  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  How  many  of  the  gunner's  gang  were  saved  ? 

A.  I  have  not  seen  the  list. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  how  the  orders  in  regard  to  the  taking 
of  the  temperatures  of  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms  were  carried  out 
on  board  the  Maine. 

A.  The  temperature  was  taken  daily  of  the  magazines  and  shell 
rooms  and  ammunition  rooms,  and  recorded  in  monthly  reports  to  the 
Bureau. 

Q.  Was  this  fully  carried  out  up  to  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  was.  I  know  of  its  having  been  carried 
out  to  within  at  least  two  or  three  days  previous.  I  presume  that  it 
was  carried  out  the  remaining  part  of  the  time. 

Q.  Who  took  this  temperature? 

A.  The  chief  gunner's  mate;  previously  the  gunner. 

Q.  How  high  did  the  temperature  reach  during  your  experience  on 
board  the  Maine? 

A.  The  hottest  magazine  was  the  10-inch  after  magazine,  where  it 
reached  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  ten  in  hot  weather,  remaining  there 
for  some  time. 

Q.  Can  you  state  to  the  court  how  much  ammunition  was  stowed  in 
the  G-inch  reserve  magazine  which  was  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship 
abreast  of  the  10-inch  shell  room? 

A.  I  think  there  were  about  200  pounds  of  saluting  powder  in  tanks. 
If  there  was  any  other  powder  there,  it  was  of  small  amount.  I  am 
not  sure. 

Q.  Were  there  any  6-inch  charges  stowed  there? 

A.  I  think  not.  We  had  room  for  all  our  6-inch  powder  in  the  regu 
lar  6-inch  magazines.     I  know  of  no  6-inch  charges. 

Q.  How  are  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms  on  board  the  Maine  con- 
structed?   Are  they  lined  with  wood? 

A.  No ;  the  bulkheads  are  iron  and  not  lined  with  wood.  They  are 
floored  with  gratings — a  wooden  flooring;  the  powder  is  kept  on 
wooden  racks.    The  shells  are  stowed  in  chocks. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  thickness  of  the  bulkhead  between  the  reserve 
magazine  and  the  10-inch  shell  room? 

A.  No;  I  do  not. 

Q.  There  is,  I  believe,  a  steel  bulkhead  between  the  two? 

A.  Yes ;  I  think  so. 


22  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  How  much  powder  was  stowed  in  the  forward  10-inch  magazine? 

A.  I  think  there  were  about  150  or  160  tanks,  representing  seventy- 
five  or  eighty  charges,  say,  approximately,  some  of  these  being  full  and 
others  reduced  charges,  some  125  pounds  to  the  tank,  that  being  the 
weight  of  one  of  the  tanks  of  a  full  charge.  These  figures  I  give  I 
can  not  be  exact  in. 

Q.  I  suppose  there  were  about  as  many  shell  in  the  shell  rooms  as 
there  were  full  charges  in  the  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  probably  the  same  number. 

Q.  How  was  the  fixed  ammunition  room  forward  located? 

A.  Over  near  themidship  line  of  the  vessel,  abaft  the  6-inch  magazine. 

Q.  Can  you  state  approximately  what  that  contained  at  the  time  of 
the  explosion  ? 

A.  That  contained  6-pounder  and  1-pounder  shell  and  small-arm — 
that  is,  rifle  and  6-millimeter — ammunition.     I  can  not  say  how  much. 

Q.  What  was  in  the  forward  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  About  two  hundred  or  more  6-inch  charges  and  a  corresponding 
number  of  shell  in  the  shell  room  adjoining. 

Q.  On  which  side  was  the  powder  stowed? 

A.  A  little  over  to  the  port  side  of  the  midship  line. 

Q.  In  the  10-inch  magazine  forward  the  powder  was  to  starboard  of 
the  shell,  was  it  not? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  there  was  between  the  coal  bunkers  and  the 
reserve  magazine — how  thick  a  partition,  and  of  what  material? 

A.  I  do  not  know  positively. 

Q.  You  have  stated  that  you  were  also  the  electric  officer  of  the 
ship.  Will  you  please  state  what  wiring  went  down  into  the  maga- 
zines and  shell  rooms?    I  mean  the  forward  one. 

A.  None.  There  were  electric  lamps  in  the  light  boxes,  and  wires 
leading  to  these  lamps,  but  they  were  separated  from  the  magazine  by 
a  double  plating  of  glass. 

Q.  Were  there  any  steam  pipes  in  dangerous  proximity  to  the  maga- 
zine or  shell  room? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  serious  action  of  the  electric  light  which  would 
indicate  grounding  just  previous  to  the  explosion? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  In  the  after  part  of  the  wardroom  mess  room. 

Q.  With  whom? 

A.  With  Lieutenants  Jungen  and  Jenkins  and  with  Chief  Engineer 
Howell. 

Q.  Please  describe  your  experience  in  full. 

A.  While  conversing  with  Mr.  Jungen  and  Jenkins,  a  heavy  explo- 
sion occurred,  which  was  evidently  in  the  forward  part  of  the  ship. 
This  explosion  shook  the  ship  violently,  and  the  noise  it  made  con- 
sisted of  a  low  grumbling,  comparatively  speaking,  a  low  and  heavy 
grumbling,  followed  by  a  heavy  booming  explosion.  It  was  precisely 
similar  to  many  other  submarine  explosions  I  have  heard,  except  that 
it  was  on  a  much  larger  scale.  A  submarine  explosion  always  gives 
two  shocks — one  transmitted  by  the  water,  the  other  immediately  fol- 
lowing— the  atmospheric  shock.    The  lights  went  out  at  once,  and  we 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  23 

were  left  in  darkness.  My  first  impression  was  that  the  ship  had  been 
attacked.  I  called  to  the  rest,  "We  have  been  torpedoed.  Get  up  on 
deck."  In  the  darkness  I  could  not  see  whether  the  others  were  ahead 
of  me  or  following  me.  I  made  my  way  to  the  wardroom  ladder,  and 
found  the  ladder  intact,  so  far  as  I  could  judge  by  feeling,  and  went 
up  this  ladder  and  out  through  the  door  in  the  after  superstructure  to 
the  main  deck.  I  found  the  ship  settling  very  fast,  and  a  great  deal  of 
wreckage  about,  so  I  went  up  on  the  poop,  where  I  found  Captain 
Sigsbee  and  a  number  of  officers  and  a  few  of  the  men. 

The  quarter  boats  that  were  in  condition  were  lowered  at  once  and 
sent  to  pick  up  men  who  were  around  the  ship  in  the  water  crying  for 
help.  Efforts  were  made  to  extinguish  the  fire,  which  had  broken 
out  in  the  wreck  of  the  middle  superstructure.  These  efforts  were 
unavailing,  and  there  was  little  that  could  be  done  beyond  rescuing  a 
few  people  who  could  be  gotten  at  forward.  The  ship  settled  slowly, 
and  careened  slightly  to  port.  After  everything  had  been  done  that 
could  be  done  the  ship  was  abandoned,  Captain  Sigsbee  being  the  last 
one  to  leave.  The  condition  of  the  wreck  was  practically  the  same  as 
now,  except  that  the  ship  has  settled  lower  in  the  water  since  we  left 
her.  When  we  got  into  the  boats  the  poop  deck  was  dry,  and,  I  should 
judge,  about  2  feet  above  the  water.  The  condition  of  the  forward  part 
I  do  not  know.    I  did  not  know  the  state  of  the  tide  at  the  time. 

Q.  When  you  first  heard  the  rumbling  noise  you  spoke  of,  did  the 
ship  list  either  way? 

A.  Not  so  far  as  I  observed.  I  observed  a  heavy  shaking  of  the  ship. 
If  there  was  any  lifting  either  way,  it  was  not  perceptible  to  me. 

Q.  When  the  heavy  explosion  took  place  which  followed  it,  had  you 
reached  the  upper  deck  ? 

A.  No.  The  first  part  of  this  explosion  I  have  spoken  of  and  the 
second  part,  the  heavy  one,  succeeded  each  other  almost  simultaneously, 
and  a  very  short  interval  of  time  separated  the  two  features. 

Q.  Did  the  second  explosion  list  the  ship,  as  far  as  you  can  recollect? 

A.  No ;  not  as  far  as  I  can  recollect  or  observed. 

Q.  You  have  had  considerable  experience  at  Newport  in  matters  of 
explosives,  I  believe.    What  was  your  impression  of  the  whole  affair? 

A.  My  impression,  not  verified  yet  by  what  the  divers  are  finding, 
is  that  a  very  heavy  mine  went  off  under  the  Maine's  bottom. 

Q.  Did  you  think  that  the  explosion  of  this  mine — remember  I  am 
only  speaking  of  your  impression — was  followed  by  the  blowing  up  of 
any  of  the  Maine's  magazines? 

A.  The  noise  produced  by  a  heavy  mine  would  be  groat  in  itself,  and 
adding  this  noise  to  it  would  probably  be  coincident,  practically  form- 
ing one  and  the  same  explosion.  From  the  noise  alone  I  can  hardly 
form  an  opinion  whether  the  magazine  went  off  also. 

Q.  During  the  stay  of  the  Maine  at  Havana  were  you  executive 
officer  at  times? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Were  you  acquainted  with  the  special  orders  issued  by  your 
commanding  officer  in  regard  to  extra  lookouts  at  night  and  the 
quarter  watches  on  deck  ? 

A.  I  heard  them  spoken  of  officially. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  any  unfriendly  demonstration  being  made 
at  night,  or  any  unauthorized  boats  attempting  to  approach  the  ship 
and  being  ordered  off  ? 

A.  No. 


24      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

By  Capt.  Charles  D.  Sig-sbee  : 
Q.  What  was  the  state  of  discipline  on  board  the  Maine  just  follow- 
ing the  disaster? 

A.  Remarkably  excellent,  every  one  doing  his  duty  with  coolness. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Would,  in  your  opinion,  the  noise  produced  by  the  explosion  of 
her  magazine  so  low  in  the  water  as  those  of  the  Maine  be  very  similar 
to  an  explosion  of  a  mine  from  the  outside  of  the  ship  ? 

A.  I  think  it  might  be. 

Q.  Was  there  any  private  ammunition  or  loose  ammunition  stowed 
in  the  forward  magazine1? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Was  there  any  other  ammunition  other  than  the  ordinary  powder 
used  on  board? 

A.  No;  none  that  I  know  of.     I  am  sure  there  was  none. 

By  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 

Q.  Where  were  the  fixed  torpedo  charges  stowed1? 

A.  We  had  only  a  few  filled  ready  for  use  in  the  torpedoes,  and  they 
were  kept  by  the  officer  of  the  powder  division,  Mr.  Hood.  I  think 
that  he  had  them  in  the  supply  boxes  of  the  torpedoes,  together  with 
the  other  accessories. 

Q.  Where  was  the  gun  cotton  stowed? 

A.  The  wet  gun  cotton  in  the  war  heads  was  stowed  in  the  torpedo- 
head  room,  which  was  aft,  under  the  forward  part  of  the  steering- 
engine  room.  The  dry  gun  cotton  for  the  torpedo  primers  and  the 
exploders  were  stowed  in  lockers  in  the  cabin. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  At  what  times  were  the  temperatures  of  the  magazines  taken,  and 
was  it  necessary  to  open  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms  to  do  so? 

A.  The  order  which  I  gave  for  taking  the  temperatures  of  the  maga- 
zines and  shell  rooms,  and  which,  I  believe,  was  generally  carried  out, 
was  to  take  the  temperatures  after  quarters,  or  as  near  quarters  as  may 
be  convenient.  It  was  not  necessary  to  open  them  to  take  the  temper- 
ature— not  to  open  them  completely — a  small  plate,  ordinarily  closed, 
being  removable  from  the  hole  through  which  the  thermometer  could 
be  reached. 

Q.  In  describing  the  manner  in  which  the  magazines  were  fitted,  you 
say  the  floor  of  the  steel  deck  of  the  magazine  was  covered  with  a  grat- 
ing.   Was  there  any  grating  on  the  sides  of  the  magazines? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Did  the  tanks  stow  against  the  steel  bulkheads? 

A.  No,  they  were  not  stowed  to  touch  the  steel  bulkheads,  as  I  recol- 
lect; the  uprights  and  the  framework  for  holding  the  tanks  were  set  a 
little  ways  from  the  bulkhead.  I  do  not  think  that  it  would  have  been 
possible  to  stow  the  powder  tanks  to  touch  the  side.  They  rested  in 
chocks  and  did  not  touch  the  sides. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  notified 
to  appear  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock  to  read  over  his  testimony, 
and  after  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to 
converse  in  regard  to  matters  of  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  here  took  a  recess  until  1.45  p.  m. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.    S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  25 

The  court  reassembled  at  1.45  p.  m. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge- advocate,  and 
Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  XJ.  S.  Navy. 

Lieut.  Commander  Richard  Wainwright,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared 
as  a  witness  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  Eichard  Wainwright,  lieutenant-commander,  U.  S.  Navy,  exec- 
utive officer  of  the  United  States  battle  sbip  Maine. 

Q.  Since  when  have  you  been  executive  officer  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  relieved  Lieut.  Commander  A.  Marix  at  Norfolk  on  the  7th  day 
of  December,  1897. 

Q.  Have  you  been  on  board  the  Maine  ever  since  then  ? 

A.  Every  day;  until  February  15. 

Q.  Will  you  please  tell  the  court  how  the  regulations  in  regard  to 
paints  and  inflammables  were  carried  out  on  board  the  Maine  f 

A.  Strictly  carried  out.    None  below. 

Q.  What  were  the  regulations  on  board  the  Maine  about  closing  the 
doors  and  everything  below  decks  at  8  p.  in.,  when  holds  and  store- 
rooms were  reported? 

A.  Not  only  the  holds  and  storerooms  were  closed,  but  all  the  water- 
tight doors,  excepting  those  absolutely  needed  for  communication.  All 
the  hatches  from  the  protective  deck  up,  excepting  those  over  the 
dynamo  room,  and  those  two  that  communicate  through  over  the  evap- 
orators and  allow  the  heat  to  come  up. 

Q.  Was  the  usual  report  made  by  you  to  the  commanding  officer  at 
8  p.  m.,  on  the  night  of  the  disaster? 

A.  It  was.  I  can  state  here  in  special  connection  that  the  captain 
instructed  me  on  Saturday  to  be  particular  to  see  if  the  inner  passages 
were  closed.  Yes,  it  was  about  Saturday.  We  had  a  board  with 
hooks  on  it,  and  tallies  for  all  the  doors  that  were  not  regularly  closed, 
but  only  closed  for  collision,  or  for  night,  or  for  guard  quarters,  etc.  I 
made  an  examination  myself  of  that,  and  found  some  of  the  tallies 
missing  about  the  same  time,  and  gave  special  instructions  to  Mr. 
Cluverius  to  go  through  the  inner  passages  prior  to  the  time  of  closing, 
and  see  all  the  tallies  in  place,  and  to  afterwards  examine  the  board  so 
as  to  see  if  they  had  been  closed ;  and  I  had  also  the  intention  on 
Tuesday  night  in  my  mind  to  examine  the  board,  but  I  did  not  get 
around. 

Q.  Were  the  regular  reports  made  to  you  at  8  o'clock  that  night? 

A.  They  were. 

Q.  Had  the  magazines  been  opened  that  day? 

A.  Not  to  my  recollection. 

Q.  What  were  the  orders  in  regard  to  visitors  and  people  not  belong- 
ing to  the  ship  while  you  were  in  Havana? 

A.  All  visitors  were  scrutinized  by  the  officer  of  the  deck  before 
coming  on  board,  and  only  those  that  were  thought  desirable  were 
allowed  to  come  on  board.  Unless  a  special  party  belonging  to  the  offi- 
cers, only  a  few  at  a  time  were  allowed  on  board.  All  the  masters-at- 
arms  and  sentries  had  special  orders  to  allow  nobody  below  unaccom- 
panied. When  there  were  people  not  taken  around  by  officers,  but  who 
the  officer  of  the  deck  thought  desirable  to  be  shown  around,  they  were 
always  accompanied  by  a  reliable  member  of  the  crew,  and  at  such 


26      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

times  they  were  not  to  take  them  into  intricate  parts  of  the  ship,  and 
they  were  confined  to  the  berth  deck. 

Q.  Captain  Sigsbee,  of  the  Maine,  issued  certain  orders  and  instruc- 
tions in  regard  to  special  lookouts  at  night  and  a  quarter  watch  to  be 
kept  on  deck.    Did  you  take  steps  to  see  this  order  carried  out  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Were  they  in  force  and  being  carried  out  at  the  time  of  the  dis- 
aster? 

A.  They  were.  I  heard  the  quarter  watch  mustered,  and  the  officer 
inquiring  whether  they  all  understood  their  stations,  where  their  sta- 
tions were  at  the  guns,  etc.  The  men  had  been  standing  quarter 
watches  for  some  time,  knew  their  stations,  and  therefore  the  officer  of 
the  deck  merely  questioned  those  he  was  doubtful  about  as  to  whether 
they  knew  their  stations.  I  saw  the  sentry  from  the  poop  after  the 
disaster.  He  came  on  board  the  City  of  Washington  and  brought  his 
belt  and  rifle.     None  of  the  other  lookouts  were  saved  that  I  know  of. 

Q.  Who  was  the  officer  of  the  deck  at  the  time  of  the  disaster  ? 

A.  Mr.  Blandin. 

Q.  During  the  stay  of  the  Maine  at  Havana,  did  any  hostile  demon- 
stration afloat  ever  come  to  your  notice"? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  case,  either  reported  to  you  or  from  your 
personal  observation,  of  an  unautborized  boat  attempting  to  approach 
the  ship  and  being  warned  off? 

A.  Not  warned  off;  but  frequently  these  small  boats  were  hailed  and 
came  very  close.     The  hail  was  answered  and  they  went  on. 

Q.  Did  you  have  confidence  in  the  police  force  of  the  Maine% 

A.  The  utmost  confidence. 

Q.  Did  you  have  confidence  in  the  marine  guard  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes;  a  good  marine  guard  and  under  good  discipline. 

Q.  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  discipline  and  the  character  of  the 
crew  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Fine  discipline;  the  crew  were  very  obedient,  very  quiet  men. 
They  needed  a  little  more  exercise,  that  was  the  only  fault  that  I  could 
find. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  boats  were  down  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  know  that  the  first  steam  cutter  was  down.  I  believe  that  to 
be  the  only  boat. 

Q.  Where  was  she  at  the  time? 

A.  At  the  starboard  boom. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  disaster? 

A.  When  the  explosion  took  place  I  was  in  what  is  used  as  the  cap- 
tain's office,  called  on  the  plan  the  admiral's  office. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  your  experience  at  the  time  of  the  explo- 
sion? 

A.  I  was  standing  in  the  office  with  Mr.  Holden,  who  was  in  there 
at  the  time.  1  felt  a  very  heavy  shock,  and  heard  the  noise  of  objects 
falling  on  deck.  I  was  under  the  impression,  from  tbe  character  of  the 
noises,  that  we  were  being  fired  upon.  I  moved  out  and  came  on  the 
main  deck  through  the  starboard  door,  and  passed  up  on  the  after- 
superstructure  deck  by  the  ladder  on  the  starboard  forward  corner.  I 
then  recognized  the  captain's  voice.  As  near  as  I  can  recollect  the 
course  of  events,  the  captain  told  me  to  see  the  boats  ready  to  be  low- 
ered, and  I  gave  the  order  to  clear  away  the  boats.  I  saw  very  few 
men  coming,  and  I  went  from  davit  to  davit  to  see  someone  ready  to 
cast  oil'  the  falls.     I  found  generally  that  they  were  all  officers.    Most 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  27 

of  the  officers  I  recognized  from  time  to  time  right  on  the  poop.  I  then 
noticed  indications  of  fire  forward.  This  all  occurred  very  quickly 
together.  I  spoke  to  the  captain  about  flooding  the  magazines,  or  he 
spoke  to  me  about  it.  Someone  then  pointed  down  the  hatch,  where 
the  water  was  coming  up,  and  of  course  there  could  be  no  reason  to 
flood  the  magazines.  I  then  called  someone  to  help  me  to  go  forward 
and  see  if  we  could  get  the  fire  out. 

I  remember  Mr.  Hood  and  Mr.  Boyd  started  with  me,  and  we  suc- 
ceeded together  by  going  over  the  awning  to  what  was  apparently  the 
break  of  the  central  superstructure — the  afterpart.  As  soon  as  I  got 
there  it  was  evident  from  the  mass  of  what  appeared  to  be  burning 
cellulose  there  was  no  chance  of  fighting  the  fire.  Mr.  Boyd  got  upon 
the  superstructure  and  passed  two  men  who  were  crying  out  very 
loudly — one  had  his  arm  broken,  I  think — and  got  them  both  in  the  gig. 
They  were  both  able  to  belp  themselves  after  they  recovered  from  the 
shock.  Before  going  forward  I  gave  the  order  to  lower  the  gig,  the 
captain  acquiescing  to  this  order,  and  when  I  returned  lowered  the  two 
remaining  boats — the  second  whale  boat  and  the  barge.  The  three 
boats  had  different  officers  in  them  that  I  had  detailed  to  go  into  this 
boat  or  that.  We  pulled  about  the  afterpart  of  the  ship  and  picked 
people  out  of  the  water.  By  that  time  the  ship  was  crowded  with 
boats.  The  first  one  that  I  noticed  was  from  the  City  of  Washington. 
I  noticed  a  number  of  Spanish  boats.  I  suggested  to  the  captain  that 
there  might  be  danger  from  the  mass  that  was  burning  of  further 
explosion.  I  was  equally  confident  that  there  was  no  one  left  in  the 
water,  and  that  we  had  better  get  the  crowd  of  boats  out  of  the  way. 
He  authorized  me  to  shove  the  boats  off. 

I  ordered  the  gig  to  back  in,  and  ordered  the  other  boats  off.  The 
captain  did  not  want  to  go.  I  pressed  him  finally,  and  the  only  way 
to  get  rid  of  the  men  was  to  shove  off  ourselves.  When  the  captain 
followed  me  into  the  gig,  we  pushed  in  among  the  boats  and  induced 
them  to  go  off,  taking  the  wounded  to  different  vessels.  The  captain 
then  took  the  gig  to  the  City  of  Washington,  lying  on  our  port  quarter, 
say  between  three  and  four  hundred  yards  distant.  I  then  ordered  an 
officer  to  commence  taking  a  list  of  the  saved  and  wounded  of  the 
Maine's  crew.  I  sent  Mr.  Blandin  in  the  gig  to  pull  around  the  ship, 
and  sent  Mr.  Holman  over  to  the  Spanish  flagship  to  get  our  well  men, 
if  there  were  any,  and  take  a  list  of  the  wounded.  Not  having  suffi- 
cient men  to  keep  up  the  patrol,  I  called  the  gig  in  by  the  captain's 
direction.  That  was  some  considerable  time  after  the  disaster,  when 
there  was  no  chance  of  any  wounded  being  left. 

Q.  What  was  the  discipline  on  the  part  of  the  officers  and  men 
immediately  following  the  exxdosion? 

A.  I  consider  it  excellent.  All  orders  were  obeyed  with  the  prompt- 
ness of  a  drill.  The  captain  told  me  what  orders  he  wished  me  to  give, 
and  the  only  order  not  promptly  obeyed  was  the  final  order  to  leave  the 
ship,  and  the  officers  hesitated  until  it  was  given  in  an  imperative 
manner. 

Q.  Please  state  your  experience  of  the  shocks  and  noises  you  heard 
during  the  explosion. 

A.  I  only  remember  one  very  heavy  shock.  I  was  so  much  shaken 
up  that  it  took  me  an  appreciable  time  to  find  the  handle  of  the  door, 
the  door  having  been  closed  by  the  shock,  and  pull  it  open. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  list  any  at  this  time? 

A.  The  first  list  I  noticed  was  after  we  commenced  lowering  the 
boats — a  list  to  port. 


28  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  When  did  you  first  see  and  examine  the  wreck  after  the  disaster? 

A.  At  daylight  the  following  morning  I  took  the  gig  and  Lieutenant 
Hood  and  a  few  of  the  men  and  attempted  to  board  the  wreck.  I  was 
warned  off  by  an  armed  boat's  crew — Spaniards.  I  then  pulled  around 
the  wreck.  It  was  not  fully  daylight  enough  to  make  my  impression  at 
that  time  valuable.  There  were  still  some  burning  fragments.  I  know 
that  parts  of  the  wreck  which  I  thought  I  recognized  then  I  found  I 
was  mistaken  in  when  I  had  a  chance  to  examine  it  in  daylight. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  the  wreck  as  you  found  it  after  you  had 
a  full  chance  to  examine  it  by  daylight? 

A.  The  after  part  of  the  ship  appeared  to  be  intact  from  the  crane 
aft,  with  a  heavy  list  to  port,  the  port  turret  being  about  2  feet  under 
water.  The  main  deck  was  folded  back,  carrying  the  central  super- 
structure with  it  at  a  line  between  the  two  cranes  and  about  the  line 
between  the  two  fire  rooms.  It  was  folded  in  a  direction  from  port  to 
starboard,  so  that  the  port  6-inch  gun  was  lying  nearly  over  the  star- 
board 6-inch  gun,  the  conning  tower  pointing  downward  about  where 
the  armory  was — that  is,  the  starboard  after  corner  of  the  superstruc- 
ture. The  forward  smokestack  was  lying  abreast  and  partly  over 
where  the  first  whaleboat  nung;  the  siren  was  on  the  starboard  side 
of  the  after  superstructure.  The  after  smokestack  was  lying  on  the 
port  side  abreast  of  the  fore-and-aft  bridge,  between  the  after  and  cen- 
tral superstructure.  At  the  lowest  tide  we  had  I  stood  on  the  port 
waterways,  and  could  see  nothing  that  I  could  recognize  as  any  part 
of  the  ship  forward  of  the  crane  on  the  port  side  of  the  main  deck. 

There  were  some  portions  of  the  wreck  forward  of  this  line  mentioned 
on  the  starboard  side.  By  looking  in  underneath  it  I  saw  a  torpedo 
port,  apparently  of  the  starboard  forward  torpedo.  I  recognized  part 
of  the  washroom — I  believe  it  was  part  of  the  foremen's  washroom — 
immediately  abaft  the  starboard  turret  having  a  small  scupper  with  a 
lip,  a  hold-down  valve,  and  also  a  half  round  bulkhead  separating  por- 
tions of  the  washroom.  Forward  of  that  again  I  recognized  pieces  of 
bottom  plating  with  anchor  scars.  They  had  a  triangular  piece  that 
led  me  to  believe  it  to  have  been  under  the  starboard  anchor.  Forward 
of  that  was  some  wreckage  with  old  rope,  which  I  think  had  been 
where  the  anchor  gear  was  stowed.  Forward  of  that  one  of  the  fore 
yardarms  was  sticking  up.  As  far  as  I  can  tell  from  the  above  water 
view,  there  is  an  angle  between  the  after  body  of  the  ship  and  the 
forward,  with  an  apex  to  starboard. 

Q.  You  have  had  charge  since  then  of  the  wreck? 

A.  With  Captain  Sigsbee's  orders,  I  have  had  general  charge. 

Q.  Have  divers  been  at  work?    If  so,  since  when? 

A.  Since  about  the  17th. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  any  discoveries  of  importance  that  have 
been  made  by  any  of  these  divers,  and,  if  it  is  a  matter  of  importance, 
give  the  name  of  the  diver,  if  you  can? 

A.  The  first  thing  of  importance  that  I  know  of  having  been  found 
was  the  finding  yesterday  of  two  powder  tanks,  one  6-inch  and  one 
10-inch.  They  were  crushed  together  and  flattened  in.  The  divers 
could  report  very  little  that  day.  That  diver  was  Chief  Gunner's 
Mate  A.  Olsen.  I  will  bring  those  tanks  to  the  court  to-morrow. 
These  cases  did  not  contain  any  powder.  The  6-inch  case,  while  rup- 
tured and  torn,  did  not  appear  to  me  as  if  it  had  been  injured  by  au 
explosion  of  powder  within  it.  The  10-inch  case  I  thought  to  have 
been  ruptured  by  the  powder  within  it  when  I  examined  it,  but  I  was 
far  from  certain.    I  could  not  understand  its  not  being  more  seriously 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  8.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  29 

torn  apart.  If  I  had  seen  the  case  without  any  knowledge  of  an 
explosion,  I  should  have  said  it  was  not  an  exploded  case.  These  were 
found  in  the  forward  body  of  the  ship,  and  I  now  believe  them  to  have 
been  found  in  the  reserve  magazine. 

This  morning  a  10-inch  tank  was  recovered  full  of  powder,  with  the 
cover  slightly  opened.  That  gave  me  the  impression  that  the  tank  had 
been  forced  open  by  weights  or  pressure  without  flame  or  heat,  as  there 
was  sufficient  opening,  had  there  been  flame  or  excessive  heat,  to  reach 
the  powder,  and  as  I  carried  it  in  my  mind,  with  pressure  in  there  it 
would  have  been  fired  before  any  water  could  have  possibly  reached 
and  drowned  it.  Ensign  Bromby  is  looking  out  for  the  divers  forward 
and  Navel  Cadet  Cluverius  for  the  divers  aft.  The  divers  tell  me  that 
they  can  find  nothing  of  the  port  side  of  the  ship  forward  of  this  gen- 
eral line  that  I  have  mentioned.  They  find  the  cellulose  belt,  I  am  not 
certain  on  which  side.  They  also  think  they  have  been  in  the  coal 
bunkers.  They  found  one  shell  fused  for  6-pounder  near  where  they 
found  the  full  case,  or  somewhere  in  that  vicinity,  only  approximately. 

Q.  I  forgot  to  ask  you  in  speaking  of  the  crew,  to  give  me  the  record 
of  Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Brofeld,  as  far  as  you  know*? 

A.  He  was  the  most  painstaking,  obedient,  hard-working  man.  I 
have  known  him  to  be  working  in  the  turrets  most  of  the  night. 

Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  his  good-conduct  medals  and  con- 
tinuous-service certificate  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  But  you  do  know  that  he  had  a  permanent  appointment'? 

A.  I  do.  I  can  say  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  all  the  work 
of  the  ship,  and  while  he  was  acting  gunner  things  went  in  a  very  sat- 
isfactory manner,  whereas  they  had  not  done  so  before. 

Witness  desired  to  state  the  following: 

I  saw  in  the  chief  engineer's  room  of  the  City  of  Washington  a  large 
piece  of  cement  heavily  coated  with  oil.  I  then  thought  it  was  a  piece 
of  bottom  cement.  I  now  am  inclined  to  believe  it  came  from  the  for- 
ward blower  on  the  port  side. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  notified 
to  appear  before  the  court  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m.  and  read  over  his  tes- 
timony; and  he  was  furthermore  informed  that  it  was  the  wish  of  the 
court  that  at  any  time  any  important  discoveries  were  made  in  the 
wreck  he  should  at  once  appear  and  notify  the  court. 

The  witness  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  converse 
on  matters  relating  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Naval  Cadet  W.  T.  Cluverius,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station  % 

A.  Wat  Tyler  Cluverius ;  cadet  U.  S.  Navy ;  attached  to  the  U.  S. 
battle  ship  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  Ever  since  the  15th  day  of  May,  1897. 

Q.  Have  you,  during  that  time,  ever  been  assistant  navigator1? 

A.  About  four  months  of  that  time. 

Q.  Do  you  know  all  about  the  electric  wiring  of  the  ship"? 

A.  A  great  portion  of  it,  sir. 

Q.  Is  there  any  electric  wire  on  board  the  Maine  so  laid  as  to  endan- 
ger the  magazines  or  shell  rooms? 


30      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  To  my  knowledge  there  is  not. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  on  the  night  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you? 

A.  I  was  in  room  3  of  the  junior  officers'  quarters. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  shocks  you  experienced 
and  what  next  you  heard? 

A.  My  first  knowledge  of  anything  occurring  was  a  slight  shock  as 
if  a  6-pounder  gnu  had  been  fired  somewhere  about  the  deck.  After 
that  a  very  great  vibration  in  my  room,  which  was  then  followed  by  a 
very  heavy  shock,  and  still  continued  vibration  and  rushing  of  water 
through  the  junior  officers'  mess  room,  and  the  sound  as  if  something 
breaking  up  all  the  time. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  when  you  felt  the  first  shock  ? 

A.  I  was  not,  sir. 

Q.  What  work  have  you  been  engaged  on  since  the  disaster? 

A.  I  have  been  engaged  in  working  with  the  divers. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  any  important  discovery  or 
discoveries  made  by  the  divers?  Give  the  name  of  the  diver  or  any 
important  reports  made  to  you  which  might  give  us  some  information 
as  to  the  state  of  the  wreck  and  the  cause  of  the  explosion. 

A.  I  was  in  charge  of  the  diving  aft,  from  the  after  part  of  the  ship, 
when  we  found  several  important  papers,  which  were  turned  in  to  the 
commanding  officer.  I  was  present  this  forenoon  on  the  float  forward 
where  they  had  gotten  up  a  10-inch  powder  tank  intact.  That  is  about 
all  of  importance  that  I  know  of  in  connection  with  this.  My  work 
has  been  wholly  aft. 

Q.  What  is  the  situation  of  the  junior  officers'  mess  room? 

A.  The  junior  officers'  mess  room  is  in  the  same  compartment  as  the 
wardroom  officers'  mess  room,  directly  forward  of  it. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  notified 
to  appear  before  the  court  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock  and  read 
over  his  testimony;  and,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
converse  on  matters  relating  to  the  inquiry,  the  witness  withdrew. 

Naval  Cadet  J.  H.  Holden,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  Jonas  Hannibal  Holden,  naval  cadet,  IT.  S.  Navy,  attached  to 
and  recently  serving  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine,  now  wrecked  in  the 
harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  Since  the  15th  day  of  May,  1897. 

Q.  How  much  of  that  time  have  you  been  assistant  navigator? 

A.  About  four  or  five  months. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  electric  wiring  on  board  the  Maine  that  would 
endanger  the  magazines  or  shell  rooms? 

A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  in  the  captain's  office  with  Lieut.  Commander  Wainwright, 
the  executive  officer  of  the  Maine. 

Q.  By  the  captain's  office  you  mean,  I  suppose,  the  one  marked  as 
the  admiral's  office  on  the  plan? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  31 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  shocks  you  experienced 

>d  what  noises  you  heard  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  At  the  time  of  the  explosion,  first,  there  was  an  explosion  of  con- 
siderable force,  and  about  three  or  four  seconds  afterwards  there  was 
another  explosion  of  far  greater  force,  and  a  terrible  shaking;  then  we 
rushed  up  on  deck. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  list  any  during  either  of  these  explosions'? 

A.  She  seemed  to  be  picked  up  and  listed  slightly  to  starboard. 

Q.  Was  that  the  first  or  second  explosion,  this  list  to  starboard? 

A.  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  the  first. 

Q.  What  duty  have  you  been  on  since  the  explosion? 

A.  On  duty  as  aide  to  the  captain. 

Q.  Have  you  had  anything  to  do  with  the  divers  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Examined  by  the  Couiit  : 

Q.  Where  would  you  locate  either  of  these  two  explosions — on  the 
starboard  or  on  the  port  side  ? 

A.  The  first  explosion,  my  impression  is,  occurred  on  the  port  side. 
I  saw  a  shoot  of  flame,  which  seemed  to  be  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  How  about  the  next  and  larger  explosion  ? 

A.  I  could  not  distinguish  anything  at  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  Was  there  any  water? 

A.  All  I  saw  was  a  column  of  flame. 

Q.  Did  this  column  of  flame  seem  to  come  up  through  the  ship  or  up 
through  the  decks? 

A.  I  could  not  tell.  It  seemed  to  be  well  to  port.  It  was  well  over 
to  port. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  notified 
to  return  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock  and  read  over  his  testimony 
when  convenient. 

The  court  then  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  Wednesday,  February 
23,  1898,  at  10  o'clock  a,  m. 

The  court  then  proceeded  to  make  a  personal  examination  of  the 
wreck. 


THIRD  DAY. 


U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Wednesday,  February  23,  1898—10  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  Judge- Advocate,  and 
Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday,  the  second  day  of  the 
inquiry,  was  read  and  approved. 

Lieutenant  Holman  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  directed  to  read  over  his  testimony  and  indicate 
any  corrections  he  desired  to  make. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  now  ask  the  permission  of  the  court  to 
introduce  as  stenographer  Mr.  John  W.  Hulse,  and  Mr.  H.  L.  Bisselle, 
assistant  to  the  stenographer.  I  should  like  to  have  them  sworn,  and 
assist  me  in  preparing  the  record  of  the  court. 


32      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Permission  being  granted,  the  stenographer,  John  W.  Hulse,  was 
duly  sworn  by  the  judge-advocate,  in  accordance  with  U.  S.  Navy 
regulations,  and  took  his  seat  as  stenographer  of  the  court.  Mr  H. 
L.  Bisselle  was  also  sworn  as  assistant  to  the  stenographer. 

Chief  Engineer  Charles  P.  Howell,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a 
witness  for  the  prosecution,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station  ? 

A.  Charles  P.  Howell,  chief  engineer,  U.  S.  Navy,  stationed  on  the 
Maine. 

Q.  When  did  you  join  the  Maine? 

A.  The  21st  day  of  December,  1895,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection. 
It  was  either  the  19th  or  21st,  I  have  forgotten  which — about  the  21st. 

Q.  You  have  been  chief  engineer  of  the  Maine  ever  since? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  coal  bunkers  on  board  the  Maine  are  adjacent  to  the  maga- 
zines in  the  forward  half  of  the  ship;  I  mean  magazines  and  shell 
rooms? 

A.  If  I  could  refer  to  the  blue  print  I  could  tell  you  the  numbers  of 
them.  A15  is  on  the  forward  starboard  side  under  the  forward  turret. 
That  is  adjacent  to  the  10-iuch  magazine.  A16  is  similarly  situated  on 
the  port  side,  and  that  is  adjacent  to  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine,  I 
think  they  call  it.  B3  is  on  the  starboard  side,  and  B5  is  also  on  the 
starboard  side.  They  are  adjacent  to  the  magazine.  B4  and  B6  are 
on  the  port  side,  also  adjacent  to  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine. 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 
Q.  The  first  two  are  adjacent  to  the  10-inch  magazine? 
A.  Yes,  sir.     Perhaps  I  could  state  that  a  little  better  now,  as  I  first 
went  from  the  starboard  side  to  the  port  side  and  back  again. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Go  ahead  in  your  own  way.    Make  it  as  plain  as  you  can. 

A.  On  the  starboard  side,  adjacent  to  the  10-inch  magazine,  are  coal 
bunkers  A15,  B3,  and  B5.  On  the  port  side,  adjacent  to  the  6-inch 
reserve  magazine,  are  coal  bunkers  A16,  B4,  and  B6. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court,  as  near  as  you  can  recollect,  the  history 
of  coal  bunker  A 15,  from  the  time  you  joined  the  ship  up  to  the  time 
of  the  explosion? 

A.  A15  is  a  bunker  which  it  is  difficult  to  put  coal  in  or  to  take  coal  out 
of,  and,  besides,  you  have  to  go  through  B4  and  B5.  To  take  coal  out 
of  A15  you  first  have  to  empty  B3  and  B5,  and  to  put  coal  in  A15 
you  have  to  partially  fill  B5,  and  then  fill  from  B5  into  A15.  As  I 
say,  it  is  a  difficult  bunker  to  put  coal  in  and  take  coal  out.  Those 
bunkers  forward  have  been  emptied  as  frequently  as  possible  in  order 
to  lighten  the  ship  forward.  We  have  always  tried  to  take  coal  out  of 
the  forward  bunkers  as  much  as  possible,  because  when  they  are  full 
the  ship  has  a  tendency  to  go  down  forward.  It  was  the  same  way  on 
the  port  side.  A16  is  a  difficult  bunker  to  fill,  and  is  the  last  one  that 
is  emptied  on  the  port  side,  because  we  have  to  take  coal  out  of  B4 
and  B6  before  we  can  take  any  out  of  A16. 

Q.  Have  you  always  inspected  coal  on  board  the  Maine  before  receiv- 
ing it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you,  during  the  time  you  have  been  chief  engineer  of  the 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  33 

Maine,  had  any  signs  of  any  kind  of  spontaneous  combustion  in  the 
coal  bunkers'? 

A.  No, sir;  none  whatever.  In  connection  with  that  I  have  frequently 
examined  the  different  bunkers  all  around  everywhere,  and  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  coal.  I  have  never  seen  any  signs  whatever  of  any  bunker 
heating.  I  have  examined  them  from  the  outside,  and  when  they  have 
taken  coal  out  of  them  ;  also  particularly  when  we  have  taken  in  coal 
that  I  thought  was  more  liable  to  spontaneous  combustion  than  other 
coal.    I  have  never  seen  any  signs  of  heating. 

Q.  When  did  you  make  your  last  examination  of  these  bunkers,  pre- 
vious to  the  explosion? 

A.  Bunkers  B3,  B5,  B4,  and  B6 — unless  you  want  to  consider  some 
others,  I  will  not  mention  any  others — are  emptied,  and  they  have  been 
emptied  about  two  weeks. 

Q.  That  is,  previous  to  the  explosion"? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  B3,  B5,  B4,  and  B6. 

Q.  Those  have  been  empty"? 

A.  They  have  been  empty  ten  days  or  two  weeks.  All  of  those  have 
been  entirely  empty.  In  that  time  we  have  painted  all  those  bunkers 
and  we  have  scaled  them.  Also  we  have  scaled  the  chutes  that  led 
down  to  them,  and  painted  them.  A15  was  about  half  empty  until  the 
day  of  this  explosion.  On  that  day,  at  4  o'clock,  we  began  taking  coal 
from  A15,  to  keep  the  ship  on  an  even  trim.  I  have  not  been  in  that 
bunker  personally  since  they  began  taking  coal  out  of  it,  though  I  have 
passed  around  these  bunkers,  and  I  felt  of  them  within  a  week  on  both 
sides.  I  have  been  to  the  wing  passages,  and  every  time  I  go  through 
there  I  can  feel  those  bunkers.  I  pass  right  by  the  bunkers.  It  is  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  and  I  put  my  hand  on  them.  I  never  have 
gone  through  there  without  putting  my  hand  on  them  to  feel  the  tem- 
perature. 

Q.  You  never  found  any  signs  of  heating? 

A.  I  never  found  any  signs  of  heating — any  variation. 

Q.  At  the  time  of  the  explosion  what  was  the  condition  of  bunker 
A16? 

A.  It  was  full  of  coal. 

Q.  Is  it  easy  of  access  for  the  purpose  of  feeling  the  temperature? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  on  all  four  sides. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  that  it  can  be  easily  felt  for  temperature  on  all  four 
sides  ? 

A.  Outside ;  yes,  sir,  for  temperature. 

Q.  How  close  is  this  bunker  to  the  magazine  itself  ? 

A.  Personally  I  do  not  know  what  is  between  the  bunker  and  the 
magazine.  I  know  there  is  sheet  iron,  but  whether  that  is  lined  with 
wood  on  the  magazine  side  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  The  inboard  bulkhead  of  the  bunker  is  against  the  magazine,  is 
it  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  not  a  portion  of  the  inboard  bulkhead  of  this  bunker  easily 
accessible  without  going  into  the  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  escape  hole  is  there,  I  believe? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Leading  into  the  loading  room? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then,  in  case  there  should  be  any  spontaneous  combustion  in 
S.  Doc.  207 3 


34  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

bunker  A16,  would  it  not  be  likely  that  it  would  be  felt  by  people 
going  to  and  fro  in  the  passing  room1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  decidedly  so. 

Q.  What  kind  of  coal  was  in  bunker  A16? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection,  it  was  New  River  coal.  I  have  a 
memorandum  of  that  in  my  notebook,  but  I  haven't  it  here.    It  is  lost. 

Q.  Where  do  you  receive  New  Eiver  coal ! 

A.  At  Newport  News. 

Q.  Regarding  the  steam  piping  of  the  Maine,  was  there  any  piping 
in  dangerous  proximity  to  the  forward  magazines  or  shell  rooms'? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  any  steam  pipes  lead  through  bunker  A16"? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  boilers  were  in  use  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  The  two  aftermost  boilers  in  the  ship,  one  on  each  side. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  those  boilers? 

A.  In  good  condition.  We  were  in  the  habit  of  carrying  about  80  to 
100  pounds  of  steam  in  port. 

Q.  For  auxiliary  purposes? 

A.  For  auxiliary  purposes,  in  port. 

Q.  How  much  did  you  carry  in  those  same  boilers  when  steaming  at 
sea? 

A.  One  hundred  and  twenty  pounds. 

Q.  Who  was  the  engineer  of  the  watch  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  Assistant  Engineer  Merritt. 

Q.  I  believe  he  was  lost? 

A.  Excuse  me;  I  made  a  mistake.  It  was  Mr.  Morris — Assistant 
Engineer  Morris. 

Q.  Did  you  have  what  you  consider  a  competent  watch  on  duty  for 
two  boilers? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  A  watch  of  reliable  men? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  your  opinion  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  those  two 
boilers  to  explode  with  the  pressure  they  were  carrying? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  explosion  would  not  have  done  much  damage  under 
ordinary  circumstances. 

Q.  What  is  the  approximate  length  of  the  two  fire  rooms? 

A.  Each  fire  room  is  about  48  feet  long. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  In  the  wardroom  mess  room. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  noises  you  heard  and 
what  shocks  you  felt  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  suddenly  startled  with  an  unusual  shock.  There  was  then 
a  continued  series  of  convulsions  and  a  noise  like  the  tearing  of  the 
ship  to  pieces,  then  a  tremendous  crash,  then  apparently  the  sound  of 
falling  debris.  Then  the  ship  felt  as  if  it  was  waving  and  unsteady  on 
the  <le<  k. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  list  of  the  ship  at  the  first  explosion  or  the 
first  shock? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  notice  it  until  after  this  series  of  shocks,  when  I 
started  to  go  on  deck.  Then  the  ship  appeared  to  be  listed  over  about 
L0°. 

Examined  by  Ihe  Court; 

Q.  Which  way? 

A.  To  port. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  35 

Q.  That  is  a  great  list,  you  know. 

A.  Let  ine  modify  that.  I  should  say  it  was  listed  over  about  5°  to 
port. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  After  you  reached  the  deck,  did  you  see  any  upshoot  of  flame,  or 
anything  of  that  kind? 

A.  No;  none  to  any  extent.  Now  and  then  there  would  be  a  small 
explosion,  like  the  explosion  of  a  6-iuch  shell,  perhaps. 

Examined  by  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  You  have  said  that  bunker  A16  was  full  of  coal  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  that  bunker  not  exposed  on  two  sides  on  the  deck  immedi- 
ately above  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine? 

A.  It  was. 

Q.  Was  not  the  immediate  vicinity  used  by  the  men  employed  in  the 
hydraulic  room  as  a  sleeping  place  or  loafing  place? 

A.  There  was  a  storeroom 

Q.  I  mean  on  the  inboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  was  a  storeroom  on  the  port  side  of  the  hydraulic 
room.  One  side  of  it  was  up  to  the  bunker,  and  that  room  was  much 
frequented. 

Q.  But  was  there  not  another  side  of  that  bunker  in  the  hydraulic 
room  itself — the  in  board  side  of  the  bunker  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  there  was  a  storeroom  between  the  hydraulic  rocm  and 
the  bunker. 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 
Q.  It  was  the  electric  storeroom  ? 
A.  The  electric  storeroom. 

Examined  by  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  What  I  am  trying  to  get  at  is  that  the  men  used  to  habitually  lie 
in  that  corner — the  port  forward  corner  in  the  hydraulic  room — with 
their  heads  right  against  what  must  have  been  that  bunker? 

A.  There  is  a  storeroom  between  the  hydraulic  room  and  the  bunker. 

Q.  There  was? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  on  the  same  level. 

Q.  Was  not  that  bunker  exposed  on  three  sides  at  the  forward  entrance 
of  the  port- wing  passage? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  bunker  was  exposed  on  three  sides,  which  was  much 
frequented.  It  was  exposed  on  the  fourth  side  by  an  empty  bunker  at 
this  time,  and  we  had  had  men  in  there  painting. 

Q.  It  is  not  likely  that  the  hands  of  the  crew  must  have  rested  on 
that  bunker  many  times  a  day  through  the  use  of  that  wing  passage? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  traversing  the  passage? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 

Q.  Could  the  entire  length  of  the  bunker  A16,  abutting  against  the 
6-inch  reserve  magazine,  be  examined  from  the  outside  of  the  bunker? 

A.  Not  from  the  magazine  itself. 

Q.  That  is,  from  the  outside  of  the  coal  bunker  ? 

A.  Allowme  to  explain  that.  I  have  never  been  in  that  magazine, 
but  I  do  not  see  any  reason  why  the  temperature  could  not  be  found 
from  the  magazine  as  well  as  any  other  place. 


36      DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  How  could  you  examine  the  temperature  of  that  coal  bunker  on 
the  outside  where  it  abutted  against  the  top  of  the  magazine? 

A.  We  did  not  examine  it  from  the  magazine;  we  examined  it  from 
aft  and  outboard. 

Q.  This  coal  bunker  is  represented  ou  the  same  deck  as  this  maga- 
zine. How  could  you  get  at  the  outside  of  that  coal  bunker  on  this 
deck? 

A.  Not  on  the  deck  shown  here,  but  on  another  deck. 

Q.  But  the  magazine  is  not  on  another  deck. 

(Captain  Sigsbee  here  made  a  rough  drawing  of  the  bunkers  and 
explained  it  to  the  court.) 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 

Q.  Would  the  heating  of  coal  in  the  bottom  of  such  a  bunker  cause 
such  a  heat  two  decks  above  as  to  be  very  noticeable? 

A.  I  should  say  yes,  sir. 

Q.  That  is,  no  heating  could  take  place  in  one  part  of  the  coal  bunker 
which  would  not  diffuse  itself  through  the  mass? 

A.  Without  rising  up  to  the  highest  point  of  the  bunker. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  desired  to  add  the  following  testimony : 

The  dynamo  room  also  goes  out  of  that  bunker,  in  addition  to  what 
has  been  brought  up. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  ho  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly, 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Holman  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  If  the  court  please,  I  request  that  the  wit- 
ness be  cautioned  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  is  stdl 
binding. 

The  witness  was  duly  cautioned  as  requested  by  the  judge-advocate. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Lieutenant  Holman,  you  have  read  over  the 
testimony  given  by  you  on  yesterday.  As  it  it  now  recorded,  is  it  cor- 
rect? 

Lieutenant  Holman.  It  is  correct,  as  now  recorded,  with  one  excep- 
tion. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Sit  down,  please,  and  make  that  correction. 

Lieutenant  Holman.  I  would  like  to  change  my  evidence  with  regard 
to  the  amount  of  saluting  powder  that  was  on  board. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Make  your  statement. 

Lieutenant  Holman.  I  stated  200  pounds.  It  must  have  been  con- 
siderably more  than  that,  but  how  much  more  I  do  not  know.  On 
reflection,  thinking  of  the  amount  that  we  used  for  one  salute,  and  the 
saluting  powder  not  being  down  so  as  to  require  a  new  supply  or  a  new 
requisition,  we  must  have  had  very  much  more  than  200  pounds. 

The  Judgk- Advocate.  You  can  not  give  us  approximately  how 
much  was  in  that  magazine? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHTP    MAINE.  37 

Lieutenant  Holman.  No;  I  can  not. 
Examined  by  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  was  the  ordinary  temperature  of  the  dynamo  room1? 

A.  The  temperature  of  the  dynamo  room  in  weather  such  as  exists  at 
present  was  about  90° — not  far  from  90°. 

Q.  If  there  bad  been  a  serious  rise  of  temperature  in  bunker  A16, 
which  abuts  on  the  port  side  of  the  dynamo  room,  do  you  think  it  would 
have  been  quickly  noticed  in  the  dynamo  room? 

A.  No;  not  unless  it  were  such  a  rise  in  temperature  as  to  set  fire  to 
woodwork — such  as  to  manifest  itself  in  that  way,  setting  fire  to  the 
woodwork  in  that  bulkhead. 

Q.  Would  not  the  men  naturally  frequently  come  in  contact  with  that 
bulkhead? 

A.  No. 

Q.  It  was  the  port  side,  and  it  formed  in  that  way  [indicating]? 

A.  In  the  port  side  dynamo  room,  aft,  between  the  entrance  to  the 
central  station  and  the  side  of  the  ship,  was  a  desk  and  several  search- 
light ammeters. 

(A  blue  print  was  here  shown  to  the  witness.) 

Q.  What  1  wish  to  know  is  whether  in  case  of  a  serious  rise  of  tem- 
perature in  the  bunker  would  it  not  have  been  noticed  in  the  dynamo 
room? 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  would. 

Q.  You  said,  in  answer  to  a  question,  that  a  rise  in  temperature  would 
not  be  noticed  unless  it  were  such  a  rise  as  would  set  fire  to  the  wood- 
work on  that  bulkhead.  There  was  woodwork  on  that  bulkhead,  was 
there? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Was  that  in  such  close  contact  with  the  bulkhead  that  in  case 
that  bulkhead  had  become  very  hot,  or  heated  to  a  heat  which  would 
have  ignited  wood,  it  probably  would  have  ignited  that  switchboard  or 
caused  it  to  char  ? 

A.  Yes;  if  the  heat  had  been  maintained  for  some  time.  The  wood- 
work, as  I  recollect,  was  not  in  immediate  contact  with  the  bulkhead, 
but  set  off  a  little  way  from  it. 

Q.  But  would  not  a  serious  rise  of  temperature  in  that  bulkhead  have 
made  itself  felt  in  the  general  temperature  of  the  dynamo  room  to  such 
a  degree  as  to  be  very  noticeable ;  because  a  temperature  which  will 
ignite  anything  like  coal  or  wood  is  a  very  high  one? 

A.  Yes;  I  can  conceive  that  there  might  be  such  a  temperature  as  to 
manifest  itself  in  that  way. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct ;  and,  having 
been  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to 
the  trial,  he  withdrew. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright,  I  now 
hand  you  so  much  of  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  as 
contains  your  testimony  before  the  court  of  inquiry.  I  ask  you  to 
withdraw,  read  it  over,  and  make  any  corrections  you  desire,  after 
which  you  will  please  return  and  inform  the  court  of  those  corrections. 


38  DESTRUCTION   OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Paymaster  Charles  M.  Eay,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  and 
was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  Charles  M.  Eay,  paymaster,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the  TJ.  S.  S. 
Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  joined  her  on  the  2d  of  February  last. 

Q.  Referring  to  your  storerooms  in  the  forward  part  of  the  Maine, 
was  there  any  inflammable  or  dangerous  matter  stowed  in  any  of  those 
storerooms  ? 

A.  Not  to  my  knowledge  and  belief,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  stowed  forward  belonging  to  your  department,  and 
where  was  it  stowed? 

A.  I  think  these  are  the  only  two  rooms  I  had  [indicating  on  blue 
print].  There  was  stored  in  them  preserved  meats,  small  stores,  and 
some  clothing. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  in  my  own  room,  sir. 

Q.  In  the  wardroom? 

A.  In  the  wardroom. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  shocks  you  experienced, 
and  what  noises  you  heard? 

A.  My  first  impression,  my  first  shock,  you  might  say,  was  a  sort  of 
an  upheaval.  My  impression  then  was,  from  the  downward  tendency, 
that  the  ship  had  been  broken  in  half,  and  that  she  was  sinking.  I 
immediately  got  out  of  my  chair  and  stood  under  the  lintel  of  the  door. 
There  were  small  pieces  falling  from  above — small  pieces  of  the  deck, 
I  suppose.  I  gathered  myself  together  from  that,  and  heard  the  water 
rushing  in  from  forward,  arid  then  I  made  my  way  on  the  superstruc- 
ture. After  that,  the  only  explosions  I  heard  were  from  the  City  of 
Washington,  of  the  small  arms. 

Q.  At  the  first  shock  you  felt,  did  you  notice  any  perceptible  list  of 
the  ship? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  After  you  reached  the  deck,  did  you  notice  any  upshoot  of  flame, 
or  anything  of  that  kind? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  except  the  ordinary  burning  of  fire. 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 
Q.  What  was  the  usual  temperature  of  your  storerooms  just  forward 
of  that  magazine? 
A.  That  lean  not  say.    I  am  not  familiar  enough  with  the  storerooms. 
Q.  You  had  not  been  in  the  ship  long? 
A.  No,  sir;  just  two  weeks,  and  I  had  not  settled  down,  in  fact. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Was  your  jack-of-the-dust  saved? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Was  your  yeoman  saved? 

A.  No,  sir;  their  names  are  not  on  the  list. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  his  testimony 
was  read  alond  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  hav- 
ing been  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining 
to  the  trial,  he  withdrew. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  39 

Surg.  Lucien  G.  Henneberger,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station1? 

A.  Lucien  G.  Henneberger,  surgeon  TJ.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the 
Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine*! 

A.  Since  November  10,  1896. 

Q.  Where  did  you  stow  inflammable  matters  belonging  to  your 
department1? 

A.  We  had  alcohol,  whiskies,  and  brandies  in  the  medical  storeroom, 
and  a  few  bottles  of  each  for  immediate  use  in  the  dispensary. 

Q.  Where  was  the  medical  storeroom  you  speak  of  situated1? 

A.  Beneath  the  wardroom. 

Q.  Did  the  dispensary  lead  into  the  sick  bay  ? 

A.  It  did. 

Q.  Were  there  any  sick  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  There  were  three  or  four  on  the  sick  list  at  the  time  of  the  explo- 
sion. 

Q.  Were  there  any  attendants  to  the  sick? 

A.  Three. 

Q.  Did  the  apothecary  sleep  in  the  dispensary ? 

A.  He  did. 

Q.  Then  you  feel  reasonably  certain  that  if  there  had  been  any  ex- 
plosion of  any  kind  there  it  would  have  been  noticed  at  once? 

A.  At  once. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  In  my  bunk. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  shocks  you  felt  and  what 
noises  you  heard  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  lying  in  my  bunk  reading,  and  I  felt  a  sudden  upheaving  of 
the  ship.  The  lights  were  extinguished,  and  this  was  followed  imme- 
diately by  a  deep  boom,  as  of  an  explosion.    That  was  all  I  heard. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  list  of  the  ship  at  the  first  shock? 

A.  A  list  to  port.  As  I  went  up  the  ladders  the  ladders  inclined 
toward  the  port  side. 

Q.  That  was  after  you  had  felt  the  first  shock — this  list? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  felt  the  shock  before  getting  out  of  my  bunk;  but  just 
as  I  got  out  of  my  bunk  I  made  ray  way  forward  to  the  wardroom  door 
and  began  to  climb  the  ladders. 

Q.  What  I  wish  to  know  is  whether,  at  the  very  first  shock  you  felt, 
there  was  a  perceptible  list? 

A.  No. 

Q.  After  you  reached  the  upper  deck  did  you  notice  any  upshoot  of 
flame  or  anything  of  that  kind — anymore  than  the  ordinary  burning  of 
fire? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Can  you  give  the  number  of  the  wounded  that  were  sent  to  the 
hospital  at  Havana? 

A.  There  were  29  sent  to  the  San  Ambrosia — approximately  29;  I  do 
not  know  whether  that  is  the  exact  number — and  6  to  the  Alphonso 
Treize. 

Q.  How  many  of  these  patients  have  since  died? 

A.  Six. 

Q.  How  many  of  the  wounded  were  sent  to  Key  West? 


40      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  I  do  not  know  how  many  went  by  the  Olivette  the  first  trip. 
She  left  in  such  a  hurry  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  tell.  There 
were  10  sent  by  the  Mangrove  the  following  day  but  one. 

Q.  You  are  not  able  to  give  this  court  the  number  of  killed,  are  you? 

A.  No,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  having 
been  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to 
the  trial,  he  withdrew. 

Private  William  Anthony,  TJ.  S.  Marine  Corps,  appeared  as  a 
witness,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Jtjdoe-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station  ? 

A.  William  Anthony,  private,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps,  TJ.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  one  of  the  marine  guard  of  the  Maine  during  her  last 
stay  at  Havana? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  day  of  the  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  what  duty  f 

A.  On  orderly  duty,  aft. 

Q.  What  watches  had  you  had  that  day? 

A.  I  had  the  8  to  12  p.  m.  watch — the  first  watch,  sir. 

Q.  Had  you  had  any  watch  during  the  daytime? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  from  8  to  12  in  the  forenoon.  1  had  both  watches,  8  to 
12  p.  m.  and  8  to  12  a.  m. 

Q.  During  the  forenoon  watch  had  the  magazine  keys  been  taken 
out  of  the  cabin? 

A.  Not  by  me,  sir;  not  by  anybody,  to  my  recollection.  The  drill 
was  that  day,  and  it  did  not  necessitate  opening  the  magazine. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  keys  of  the  magazine  and  shell  rooms 
were  in  their  proper  place  in  the  cabin  at  8  p.  m.  that  night? 

A.  No,  sir;  my  business  did  not  call  me  as  far  as  the  captain's 
stateroom. 

Q.  You  made  the  usual  reports  to  the  captain  that  the  magazines 
were  in  proper  condition  that  night? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  standing  on  the  main  deck,  just  outside  of  the  door,  on  the 
starboard  side. 

Q.  Please  tell  the  court  what  you  felt  and  what  you  saw. 

A.  I  first  noticed  a  trembling  and  buckling  of  the  decks,  and  then 
this  prolonged  roar — not  a  short  report,  but  a  prolonged  roar.  The 
awnings  were  spread,  and  where  the  wing  awning  and  the  quarter-deck 
awning  should  join  there  was  a  space  of  at  least  18  inches.  I  looked 
out  and  saw  an  immense  sheet  of  flame,  and  then  I  started  in  to  warn 
the  captain. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  perceptible  list  to  the  ship  at  the  first  shock? 

A.  At  the  first  shock  the  ship  instantly — that  is,  the  quarter  deck, 
where  I  was  standing — dipped  forward  and  to  port,  just  like  that  [indi- 
cating]. It  apparently  broke  in  the  middle  like  that  [indicating]  and 
surged  forward,  and  then  canted  over  to  port. 

Q.  Canted  over  to  port  after  tho  first  shock? 

A.  Yes;  it  Avas  continually  settling  more  to  port  while  I  was  on 
board. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  41 

Examined  by  the  Court  : 

Q.  I  would  like  to  have  you  describe  a  little  more  particularly  where 
you  saw  this  upshoot  of  flame. 

A.  It  was  well  forward.  It  must  have  been  forward  of  the  super- 
structure. I  could  see  the  debris  going  up  with  it.  I  do  not  know 
what  it  was,  but  I  saw  firebrands  going  up. 

Q.  Was  it  on  the  port  side  or  the  starboard  side? 

A.  It  looked  more  to  port  than  it  did  on  the  midship  line.  It  looked 
like  it  covered  the  whole  ship.  It  was  an  immense  glare  that  illumined 
the  whole  heavens  for  the  moment,  as  much  as  I  could  see  for  the  awn- 
ings. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  water  with  if? 

A.  I  didn't  notice  that,  sir.     I  started  in  the  cabin  at  once. 

The  court  had  no  further  questions  to  ask  the  witness. 
There  were  no  further  questions  to  ask  the  witness. 

The  judge-ad vooate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  «s  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 

The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  trial. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  would  like  to  state  to  the  court  that  there 
are  three  gentlemen  of  whom  I  have  knowledge  not  belonging  to  the 
Government  who,  I  believe,  saw  the  explosion  from  outside  the  ship, 
and  if  the  court  wishes  their  testimony,  I  think  I  can  produce  them 
to-morrow  morning.  One  of  them  is  Captain  Teasdale,  of  the  British 
baik  Deva;  another  one  is  the  engineer  of  the  floating  dock,  Mr.  Rolfe. 
and  the  third  one  is  the  manager  of  the  oil  works  at  Eegla,  Mr.  Van 
Sickle. 

The  President.  We  should  have  them. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  think  they  are  willing  to  come  to-morrow 
morning.    I  only  got  this  information  over  night. 

Lieutenant  Commander  Wainwright  here  appeared  before  the 
court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  You  have  read  over  your  testimony  given 
before  the  court  on  yesterday.     Is  your  testimony  as  recorded  correct? 

Lieutenant  Commander  Wainwright.    It  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee  was  then  called  upon  by  the  judge- 
advocate  to  sta  e  whether  his  testimony  as  given  to  the  court  in  the 
first  day's  proceedings  was  correct  as  recorded,  and  he  announced  that 
it  was  correct  as  recorded. 

Captain  Sigsbee  was  then  requested  to  take  the  stand  and  did  so, 
being  cautioned  by  the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him 
was  still  binding. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  What  officers  have  been  detailed  by  you  to  obtain  information  in 
regard  to  any  outsiders  who  may  have  seen  the  explosion  of  the  Mainel 


42  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright,  Lieutenant  Holman,  and 
Chief  Engineer  Howell,  all  of  the  Maine. 

Q.  Have  any  of  those  officers  made  any  report  to  you  as  to  obtaining 
any  information? 

A.  I  have  had  no  report  made  to  me  yet,  but  I  know  that  Mr.  Hol- 
man has  some  notes. 

Q.  I  have  Mr.  Holman's  notes  before  me,  and  I  know  the  witnesses 
he  has  found. 

A.  I  submitted  to  the  board,  especially  to  Mr.  Holman,  whose  time 
was  available  when  I  made  out  the  order,  a  series  of  questions  relating 
to  the  phenomena  of  the  explosion,  and  I  gave  him  directions  to  inter- 
view persons  about  the  bay  and  in  the  city,  in  order  to  gather  informa- 
tion relative  to  these  questions. 

Q.  Mr.  Holman's  notes  are  the  only  reports  that  have  been  made? 

A.  That  is  all  I  have  now. 

Q.  He  is  one  of  the  members  of  that  board? 

A.  He  is  one  of  the  members  of  that  board. 

Q.  Do  you  wish  to  give  any  further  testimony  in  regard  to  coal 
bunker  A1C?     You  informed  me  that  you  did. 

A.  Is  that  the  one  on  the  port  side? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  It  is  my  opinion  that  if  the  interior  of  coal  bunker  A16  had  been 
so  hot  as  to  be  dangerous  to  the  0-inch  reserve  magazine  that  this  heat 
would  have  shown  itself  in  the  outside  plating  of  the  bunker,  in  the 
passing  room  of  the  forward  turret,  in  the  wing  passage  connecting 
therewith,  and  in  the  passage  communicating  with  these  two  apart- 
ments. In  passing  from  the  passing  room  into  the  wing  passage  there 
was  a  turn  to  the  left.  On  three  sides  of  this  turn  the  plating  of  the 
bunker  was  exposed.  The  passage  was  narrow.  The  tendency,  there- 
fore, of  a  person  in  passing  and  in  turning  to  the  left  would  have  been 
to  place  the  left  hand  on  the  plating.  1  went  through  this  interme- 
diate passage,  I  think,  the  day  before,  and  observing  that  one  of  the 
dogs  of  the  manhole  escape  from  that  bunker  was  not  tightly  wedged 
in  place,  I  gave  directions  to  see  that  it  was  always  kept  tightly  closed, 
except  when  intended  to  be  opened  altogether.  I  put  my  hand  on  the 
dog  and  there  was  then  no  appearance  of  undue  heat.  This  was  either 
the  day  before  or  two  days  before — I  think  the  day  before  the  explosion. 
Also,  there  were  electric  leaves  on  the  outside  of  this  banker,  in  the 
wing  passage,  and  it  is  probable  that  undue  heat  would  have  interfered 
with  the  insulation,  and  have  given  warning  somewhere.  That  is  all 
I  desire  to  say  on  that. 

Q.  Do  you  also  wish  to  testify  in  regard  to  the  record  and  character  of 
Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Brofeldt? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  occasion  to  send  Brofeldt's  record  to  the  Navy 
Department  two  or  three  weeks  ago.  His  record  was  a  very  fine  one. 
He  had  three  good-conduct  medals  on  his  present  enlistment  record,  cov- 
ering about  two  years.  According  to  my  recollection,  every  mark  under 
every  heading  was  a  maximum.  He  had  received  no  punishment  what- 
ever. His  record  was  absolutely  perfect,  and  he  would  have  gained  on 
it,  had  he  continued  in  the  same  course,  another  good-conduct  medal. 

The  court  had  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  furnished 
with  as  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  upon  the  meeting 
of  the  court  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock;  that  he  be  directed  to 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.      43 

examine  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will  be  given  an 
opportunity  to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 

The  court  then  (at  12  o'clock  noon)  took  a  recess  until  1.30  o'clock  p.m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  the 
stenographer,  and  Oapt.  Charles  JJ.  Sigsbee. 

Ensign  W.  V.  IS".  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness,  and 
was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  W.  V.  N.  Powelson;  ensign,  U.  S.  Navy;  serving  on  board  the 
U.  S.  S.  Fern. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Fern  when  she  arrived  at  Havana  shortly 
after  the  explosion  of  the  Maine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  after  the  explosion  did  you  arrive*?  The  explosion  took 
place  at  9.40  p.  m. 

A.  We  arrived  on  Wednesday  at  about  3  p.  m. 

Q.  What  duty  have  you  been  engaged  on  since  you  have  been  in 
Havana,  regarding  the  wreck  of  the  Maine11. 

A.  I  have  not  been  on  any  official  duty  in  connection  with  the  Maine. 

Q.  What  duty  have  you  done  with  regard  to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine? 
Have  you  not  been  present  a  great  deal  during  the  diving ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  1  have  been  on  the  Maine  every  day  since  the  Fern  has 
been  here,  and  have  been  present  most  all  day. 

Q.  Will  you  please  tell  the  court,  as  far  as  you  can,  the  condition  of 
the  wreck,  and  also  of  any  important  discoveries  made  by  any  of  the 
divers,  giving  the  name  of  the  diver,  if  you  can? 

A.  The  forward  part  of  the  ship,  forward  of  the  after  smoke  pipe, 
has  been  completely  destroyed,  as  far  as  all  appearances  go.  The  con- 
ning tower  now  lies  in  a  position  opposite  the  door  leading  into  the 
superstructure  aft,  and  to  starboard.  The  conning  tower  is  inclined  at 
about  110  degrees  to  the  vertical,  with  the  top  of  the  conning  tower 
inboard.  The  forward  6-inch  superstructure  gun  now  lies  completely 
turned  upside  down  over  the  after  starboard  0-inch  superstructure  gun. 
The  frames  which  supported  the  deck  plating  and  planking  of  the  port 
gangway  forward  of  the  main  deck  are  bent  upward  and  against  the 
superstructure,  the  angle  of  bend  decreasing  as  you  go  aft.  The 
fixtures  underneath  the  main  deck  on  the  port  side,  consisting  of  pipes, 
wood  casing  for  the  electric  wires,  standing  lights,  etc.,  have  been  com- 
pletely wrecked,  while  on  the  starboard  side  these  fixtures,  occupying  a 
similar  position,  are  in  some  cases  almost  intact. 

This  is  especially  so  under  the  conning  tower  at  the  starboard  side, 
where  the  woodwork  of  the  electric  wires  is  scarcely  burned  at  all. 
The  port  bulkhead,  between  the  main  deck  and  the  berth  deck  at  the 
conning-tower  support,  has  been  blown  aft  on  both  sides,  but  a  great 
deal  more  on  the  port  side  than  on  the  starboard.  The  fire-room  hatch 
immediately  abaft  the  conning-tower  support,  between  the  main  and 
the  berth  deck,  has  been  blown  open  in  three  directions,  aft,  to  star- 
board, and  to  port.  The  forward  side  of  the  hatch,  being  stronger, 
forming  the  support  of  the  conning  tower,  was  not  much  injured.  The 
pipes  in  this  hatch  were  very  little  injured.  The  protective  deck  under 
the  conning-tower  supports,  where  it  is  secured  to  the  armor  tube 
from  the  conning  tower  is  bent  in  two  directions.  The  plates  on  the 
port  side  are  bent  up  and  the  plate  on  the  starboard  side  is  bent  down. 


44  DESTRUCTION   OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Do  you  mean  with  reference  to  their  original  positions'? 

A.  With  reference  to  their  original  positions.  There  is  a  beam  sup- 
porting the  protective  deck  a  few  inches  abaft  the  armored  tube.  This 
beam,  to  port  of  the  midship  line,  was  bent  up  to  starboard  of  the  midship 
line.  The  rivets  were  sheared.  The  beam  broke  at  the  midship  line, 
due  to  weakening  at  this  point  by  pipes  passing  through  it.  These 
rivets,  holding  the  beam  to  the  deck,  were  sheared  almost  at  right 
angles  to  the  fore-and-aft  line.  The  starboard  crane  was  broken  com- 
pletely off,  due  to  the  superstructure  falling  upon  it.  The  port  crane 
supports  are  bent,  but  the  crane  itself  seems  intact.  The  forward 
smokestack  now  lies  forward  side  up  along  the  starboard  quarter-deck, 
about  the  position  of  the  waterways,  and  almost  clear  of  the  awnings 
stanchions.  The  after  smokepipe  lies  with  its  forward  side  uppermost, 
just  inboard  of  the  port  turret.  The  main  masthead  was  broken  at  a 
point  about  4  feet  from  the  lantern.  The  foremast  fell  forward  and  a 
little  to  port.  The  break  just  forward  of  the  port  crane  at  the  main 
deck  is  a  very  clean  one,  the  wood  still  remaining  fastened  to  the  deck 
plating  at  the  edge  of  the  break. 

Just  toward  ot  the  conning  tower,  underneath  the  main  deck,  two 
beams  meet  at  right  angles,  one  fore  and  aft,  and  the  other  athwart 
ships.  The  fore -and  aft  beam  is  broken  at  the  point  where  it  touches 
the  athwartship  beam.  Both  parts  of  the  broken  beam  are  pushed 
from  port  to  starboard.  A  grating  was  found  on  the  poop  awning,  just 
toward  of  the  after  search  light.  A  piece  of  the  side  plating,  just 
abaft  the  starboard  turret,  between  the  torpedo  tube  and  the  turret,  is 
now  visible,  about  15  feet  forward  of  the  starboard  crane,  and  about  at 
the  position  of  the  ship's  side.  This  plate  was  bent  outward,  and  then 
the  forward  end  bent  upward  and  folded  backward  upon  itself.  This 
plate  was  sheared  from  the  rest  of  the  plating  below  the  water  line. 
This  plating  below  the  water  line  has  been  pushed  out  to  starboard. 
The  gratings  from  the  engine  room  hatch  were  blown  off. 

Q.  Those  were  the  unarmored  gratings'? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  superstructure  gratings.  In  hauling  in  some  wires 
a  strainer  was  picked  up  from  the  bottom  at  a  point  about  opposite  the 
poop  capstan  and  70  feet  from  it — a  composition  strainer. 

Q.  The  composition  strainer,  you  say,  was  picked  up  where? 

A.  It  was  picked  up  on  the  starboard  quarter.  1  was  hauling  in  the 
electric  wires  yesterday  and  hooked  on  to  it,  and  picked  it  up  at  that 
point. 

Q.  Is  there  anything  to  show  where  the  strainer  came  from? 

A.  The  chief  engineer  thinks  it  was  a  strainer  from  the  firemen's  wash- 
room. 

Q.  It  was  not  an  exterior  strainer? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  not  a  strainer  in  the  ship's  side.  The  athwartship 
beam,  at  the  point  where  the  break  occurs  on  the  port  side,  is  pushed  a 
little  forward  at  the  point  where  it  joined  the  outside  plating. 

Q.  When  you  speak  of  the  break,  you  mean  the  break  in  the  main 
deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  break  in  the  main  deck.  Near  the  piece  of  outside 
plating,  near  the  turret  to  which  I  have  just  referred,  and  just  inboard 
of  it  are  some  pieces  of  red  shellacked  planks.  On  these  planks  is  bolted 
a  composition  track  about  2  inches  wide  and  an  inch  thick.  At  the 
ceiling  of  the  central  station  a  standing  light  on  the  port  side  was 
found  completely  blown  from  its  supports,  only  three  screws  remaining 
in  the  protective  deck  to  mark  its  position.  On  the  starboard  side, 
about  5  feet  from  this  light,  was  another  deck  light,  fastened  to  the 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  45 

protective  deck,  and  nothing  Jin  tbis  light  was  destroyed  except  the 
glass  globe  protecting  the  light  and  the  glass  of  the  incandescent  light 
itself.  The  woodwork  and  wires  were  intact.  Did  you  mean  for  me  to 
say  anything  about  what  the  divers  reported,  or  just  what  I  saw? 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  I  would  like  to  have  you  state  any  important  discoveries  which 
might  lead  us  to  draw  some  conclusion  as  to  the  cause,  and  if  the  dis- 
covery of  a  diver  gave  you  the  information,  state  the  name  of  the 
diver;  but  before  you  do  that,  I  would  like  to  ask  you  whether  the  for- 
ward and  after  parts  of  the  ship  were  in  line. 

A.  As  far  as  I  could  judge,  the  forward  and  after  parts  of  the  ship 
were  not  in  line.  The  ends,  where  the  explosion  occurred,  seemed  to 
have  been  pushed  from  port  to  starboard,  I  should  judge  from  5  to  10 
degrees. 

Q.  That  makes  an  angle  of  the  ship  with  the  apex  to  starboard? 

A.  With  the  apex  to  starboard ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  please  go  ahead  with  the  discoveries  of  the  divers? 

A.  The  divers  reported  to  me  that  at  a  point  where  the  10-inch  shell 
room  should  be  they  discovered  10-inch  shell,  regularly  arranged,  but 
the  ship  had  sunk  down  so  much  that  some  of  the  shell  were  in  the 
mud. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  That  mud  was  inside  the  ship,  of  course? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  They  were  not  able  to  determine  that  exactly.  The 
name  of  one  diver  was  Olsen,  I  think.  The  diver  Smith  reported  that 
he  saw  a  number  of  broken  10  inch  powder  tanks.  He  secured  a  10-inch 
powder  tank  that  still  contained  powder,  and  it  was  hoisted  to  the  sur- 
face, and  is  now  on  board  the  Fern.  He  also  secured  some  tanks  in  a 
better  condition,  one  0-inch  and  one  10-inch  tank  that  I  saw.  This 
diver  reported  that  he  had  found  more  full  tanks,  but  a  diver  who  went 
down  next  after  Smith  was  unable  to  secure  any.  At  a  place  where 
the  paymaster's  storeroom  should  be  we  found  a  great  many  vegetable 
cans.  Gunner  Morgan  reported  that  in  walking  on  the  bottom  he  fell 
into  a  hole  on  the  port  side  and  went  down  in  the  mud.  He  also 
reported  that,  as  far  as  he  could  judge,  everything  seemed  to  be  bent 
upward  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hole.  He  also  reported  that  the  plates 
seemed  to  have  been  pushed  over  to  starboard  and  bent  down  over  the 
top  of  the  10-inch  magazine,  from  which  he  reasoned  that  he  would  be 
able  to  find,  perhaps  intact,  powder  tanks  farther  down;  that  the 
broken  ones  on  top  had  been  broken  up  by  these  plates.  The  one  6-inch 
tank  that  I  saw  appeared  to  me  to  have  been  an  empty  tank,  broken 
by  the  explosion,  as  it  was  not  badly  dented,  and  merely  ripped  the 
length  of  the  seam. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  How  did  the  empty  10-inch  tank  appear  to  you? 

A.  The  empty  10-inch  tank  was  badly  battered.  When  I  saw  it  it 
had  been  already  dipped  in  a  sterilizing  solution,  and  I  could  see  no 
evidences  of  powder  upon  it. 

Q.  Was  it  ruptured,  as  if  a  charge  had  exploded  inside  of  it? 

A.  It  was  flattened  out  and  battered  out  of  all  conceivable  shape.  I 
could  not  say. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Have  either  of  the  divers  been  on  what  you  consider  the  outside 
of  the  ship? 
A.  They  had  not  up  to  last  night.     They  report  that  the  mud  is  so 


46      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

deep  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  them  to  walk  on  the  bottom,  and 
they  wish  some  large  scow  moored  over  that  part,  so  that  they  can  be 
supported  from  the  scow,  and  that,  I  believe,  is  being  done  to-day.  I 
requested  the  diver  to  go  aft  and  see  if  he  could  see  the  condition  of 
the  port  forward  boiler.  He  started  aft  and  found  coal,  and  discontinued 
his  work  belore  he  got  as  far  aft  as  the  boiler. 

Q.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  starboard  turret? 

A.  To  my  knowledge  it  has  not  been  found,  sir. 

Q.  That  is,  the  place  where  it  belongs  has  been  examined,  and  you 
think  it  is  not  there? 

A.  1  understand  that  something  was  found  at  or  about  the  place 
under  which  the  turret  formerly  was,  but  they  have  not  been  able  to 
determine  exactly  what  it  was.  I  have  had  no  information  from  the 
wreck  to-day.    I  have  not  been  there. 

Q.  What  impression  is  produced  upon  your  mind  by  the  reports,  so 
far  as  you  have  quoted  them? 

A.  From  reports  alone,  or  from  the  appearance  of  the  wreck? 

Q.  I  mean  either  the  reports  that  have  been  made  to  you,  or  the  con- 
ditions which  you  believe  to  exist. 

A.  The  impression  produced  upon  me  is  that  an  explosion  took  place 
well  to  port  of  the  midship  line  and  at  a  point  in  the  length  about  oppo- 
site the  conning  tower. 

Q.  What  weight  are  you  giving  now  to  the  statement  made  by  the 
gunner,  Mr.  Morgan? 

A.  That  opinion  is  based  entirely  upon  the  observation  of  things  above 
water.  The  fact  that  a  full  powder  case  was  found  and  the  fact  that 
empty  powder  cases  were  found  does  not,  in  my  mind,  admit  of  an 
expression  of  opinion  until  something  further  is  produced. 

Q.  You  do  not  see  anything  upon  which  to  base  an  opinion? 

A.  No  reports  so  far  from  the  divers  upon  which  to  base  an  opinion. 

Q.  I  say  again,  what  weight  do  you  give  to  the  statement  made  by 
Mr.  Morgan  as  to  his  falling  into  a  hole  on  the  port  side? 

A.  No  weight,  sir. 

Q.  You  give  no  weight  to  that? 

A.  No,  sir;  because  I  think  he  may  be  mistaken  about  it. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  You  have  stated  all  that  you  know  about  it,  have  you? 

A.  I  think  I  have,  sir.  I  have  a  little  notebook  in  my  pocket,  in 
which  I  made  notes  of  things  at  the  time. 

Q.  Please  refer  to  that  and  see  if  there  is  anything  else? 

A.  The  arc  of  the  engine-room  telegraph  and  the  shaft  of  the  steer- 
ing gear,  coming  down  through  the  armored  tube  (turret),  was  bent 
from  port  to  starboard  underneath  the  protective  deck,  and  the  port 
side  of  the  protective  deck  under  the  conning-tower  supports  was  covered 
with  a  greasy  sort  of  deposit,  while  the  starboard,  side  was  compara- 
tively free  from  it. 

(At  this  point  Naval  Cadet  Holden  entered  the  court  and  was  handed 
so  much  of  the  record  of  the  court  as  contained  his  testimony.  He 
was  then  directed  to  retire,  examine  it,  and  return  and  state  whether 
or  not  his  testimony  as  recorded  was  correct.) 

Ensign  Powelson  then  resumed  his  testimony. 

The  Witness.  The  forward  smoke-pipe  hatch,  between  the  main  and 
the  superstructure  decks,  while  it  is  dented,  does  not  show  signs  of 
internal  pressure  of  gases.    I  said  that  the  fire-room  hatch  did;  that 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  47 

it  was  blown  out  in  all  directions,  and  the  Latch  at  the  engine  room 
where  the  funnel  came  through  was  not  exploded.  It  is  dented.  The 
fire  main  running  along  under  the  main  deck  had  its  asbestos  covering 
and  canvas  burned  much  more  on  the  port  than  on  the  starboard  side. 
On  the  main  deck,  just  forward  of  the  conning  tower,  where  the  fore^ 
and  aft  angle  bulb  beam  to  which  1  have  referred  was  located,  the 
planking  was  blown  off  on  the  only  remaiuing  plate  of  the  main  deck  on 
the  port  side,  while  the  wood  was  still  attached  to  that  part  on  the  star- 
board side  between  the  base  of  the  conning  tower  and  the  turrets.  The 
wood  planking  there  on  the  plating  was  still  fast  to  that,  while  on  the 
port  side  it  had  blown  off  the  plating.  All  the  wood  deck  planking  and 
the  plating  was  blown  off  the  main-deck  beams  of  the  port  gangway 
forward  of  the  break.  On  the  starboard  side  of  the  conniug-tower  sup- 
port the  protective  deck  is  pulled  away  from  the  support  about  5  inches. 
On  the  port  side  it  is  not. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Would  that  show  a  pressure  from  port  to  starboard  % 

A.  That  would  indicate  that  the  pressure  lifted  the  protective  deck 
up  on  the  port  side,  and  the  protective  deck  on  the  starboard  side  held 
fast  and  bent  that  deck  downward,  away  from  the  couning-tower  sup- 
port, broke  that  one  end  of  that  beam  off,  and  sheared  it  right  straight 
across.  I  have  a  little  sketch  here,  which  the  court  might  look  at,  to 
make  clear  what  I  have  said. 

(Witness  here  exhibited  to  the  court  two  sketches,  showing  diagram 
of  various  parts  of  the  sunken  ship,  and  explained  them  to  the  court.) 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  you  spoke  of  that  strip  which  is  on  the  starboard 
side  of  the  outside  plating  of  the  ship,  which  was  folded  and  rolled 
back? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And.  you  gave  it  as  your  opinion  that  the  portion  of  the  outer 
plating  underneath  that,  from  which  that  was  torn,  was  bent  outward? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  can  see  that.  That  is  about  2  feet  under  water,  where 
that  shear  occurs. 

Q.  Can  you  see  the  outside  plating  on  the  opposite  side? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  can  not? 

A.  I  took  some  soundings.  I  forgot  to  tell  you  about  that.  I  found 
about  5  fathoms  of  water  all  along  the  ship,  on  both  sides,  down  to  the 
mud.  I  took  a  14-pound  lead  line,  4£  fathoms,  and  I  dragged  with  a 
wherry  along  on  the  port  side  for  obstructions.  I  dragged  right  close 
to  where  I  imagined  the  waterways  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship  had 
been,  judging  from  the  position  of  the  ship,  and  I  found  no  obstructions 
at  all.  With  4^  fathoms  of  line  out,  going  along  slowly  on  the  star- 
board side,  I  did  find  obstructions  for  a  distance  of  20  feet  from  where 
I  had  reason  to  suppose  the  waterways  had  originally  been. 

Q.  That  is  to  say,  the  fact  that  there  were  obstructions  on  the  star- 
board side  and  not  on  the  port  side  would  indicate  that  while  the  port 
side  was  not  ruptured,  if  it  was  ruptured,  the  burr  was  on  the  inside? 

A.  1  do  not  think  you  understood  me  exactly.  There  is  nothing  left 
of  the  port  plating  at  all.  As  you  go  right  in  across  the  ship  there  is 
nothing.  I  dragged  along  the  outside  to  see  if  there  had  been  any- 
thing that  had  fallen  out,  and  I  could  find  nothing.  As  I  came  in,  tak- 
ing soundings  right  along  from  the  port  side,  after  I  got  inside  a  few 
feet,  or  nearly  under  the  waterway,  then  I  began  to  find  obstructions 
in  about  3£  fathoms  of  water.     I  dragged  right  along  here  [indicating] 


48  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

on  the  port  side,  and  I  found  nothing  along  in  there;  but  over  on  this 
side  [indicating]  I  did  find  things  all  along  bere;  and  I  found  some- 
thing hard  right  in  here,  just  abaft  that  crane  [indicating], 

Q.  Which  may  be  the  turret? 

A.  It  was  hard  for  about  15  or  16  feet  along  there,  as  near  as  I  could 
judge,  and  not  much  out  of  mud;  probably  only  4  feet  out  of  mud; 
but  the  lead  had  a  different  feel  there  from  what  it  had  anywhere  else. 
That  is  what  I  thought  was  the  turret.  Of  course,  I  could  not  be  cer- 
tain, and  there  is  not  enough  evidence  to  state  that  opinion  absolutely. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  never  been  attached  to  the  Maine. 

Q.  How  have  you  become  so  well  acquainted  with  the  Maine? 

A.  I  thought  I  was  going  to  the  Maine  when  she  went  in  commis- 
sion. I  was  on  the  Vermont  at  that  time,  and  I  used  to  go  over  to  the 
ship  frequently  and  go  through  her,  with  an  idea  of  learning.  Then  I 
was  on  the  staff  of  Admiral  Bunce,  and  made  an  inspection  of  the 
Maine  and  learned  more  at  that  time. 

Q.  You  think  the  ship  on  the  port  side  opposite  that  support  is 
entirely  gone*? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Entirely  blown  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  because  I  could  get  nothing  less  inside,  I  think,  than 
three  fathoms  and  a  half  of  water;  but  from  the  break  itself  it  goes 
right  down  standing  here  over  the  waterway  [indicating].  You  can  go 
down  there  about  4  fathoms  with  the  lead  line,  but  there  does  not  seem 
to  be  anything  out  here  [indicating].  That  little  plate  to  which  Captain 
Chadwick  referred  is  exactly  in  line  with  the  mainmast. 

Q.  That  protective  deck  ? 

A.  The  protective  deck  of  which  you  speak.  It  is  on  a  line  with  the 
mainmast  at  the  port  crane,  and  goes  to  this  plate  [indicating].  That 
is  the  reason  I  thought  that,  whether  it  was  the  starboard  or  the  port 
plate,  there  would  not  be  much  difference,  except  as  to  the  angle,  because 
that  was  so  far  over  from  the  side,  coming  from  the  mainmast  [wit- 
ness indicates  on  diagram]. 

Q.  It  is  an  important  thing  to  know.  That  [indicating]  is  a  piece  of 
the  quarter  deck.  If  that  had  been  broken  off  the  ship's  side,  and  was 
thrown  up  in  here  [indicating],  that  is  very  material. 

A.  It  is  over  to  port.  You  can  not  tell  exactly  where  that  place  was 
in  the  beginning. 

Q.  Could  you  not  tell  by  very  careful  soundings  around  that  or  by 
the  divers?  You  see  the  divers  are  even  now  down  at  the  door  of  that 
[pointing  out  of  the  window  at  the  wreck]. 

A.  The  divers  do  not  seem  to  be  able  to  express  themselves  as  to 
what  they  see  down  below.  I  have  talked  to  them  and  have  not  been 
able  to  learn  very  much. 

Q.  That  is  the  difficulty;  they  do  not  know  what  they  find. 

A.  They  see  things  there,  but  they  do  not  know  exactly  what  they 
are  or  what  the  conditions  are. 

Q.  How  often  were  you  on  duty  over  there  at  the  wreck? 

A.  As  I  said,  we  are  not  detailed  for  the  duty  over  there.  We  have 
days  duty  on  the  Fern,  but  of  course  Mr.  Bookwalter  and  myself 
attend  to  the  work  on  the  ship,  or  on  the  wreck,  or  anything  Lieutenant 
Wainwright  wants  us  to  do. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  the  witness,  the  judge- 
advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  witness  be  not 
read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to  report 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  49 

to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  bringing  with  him  an  ink  sketch 
similar  to  the  one  shown  to  the  court  to-day,  lettering  the  different 
parts,  and  also  an  ink  sketch  of  that  piece  of  protective  deck  referred 
to  in  the  testimony,  the  sketches  to  be  on  foolscap  paper,  either  on 
separate  sheets  or  on  the  same  sheet,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which 
he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 

The  request  was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly, 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  H olden  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Naval  Cadet  Holden,  is  the  testimony  given 
by  you  before  the  court  on  yesterday  correct  as  recorded! 

^Naval  Cadet  Holden.  It  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  2.30  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  the  24th 
instant,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


FOURTH  DAY. 

IT.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Havana  Harbor,  10  a.  on.,  Thursday,  February  24,  1898. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday  (Wednesday). 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  Judge- Advocate,  the  ste- 
nographer, and  Captain  Sigsbee. 

Previous  to  the  meeting  of  the  court  the  members  were  engaged  in 
making  an  examination  of  the  wreck. 
The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  read  and  approved. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Chief  Engineer  Howell,  I  now  hand  you  so 
much  of  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  as  contains  the  tes- 
timony given  by  you  before  the  court.  Please  withdraw,  read  it  over, 
and  then  return  to  the  court  and  state  whether  you  desire  to  make  any 
corrections  in  the  testimony,  or  whether  it  is  correct  as  recorded. 

The  witness  then  withdrew. 

Naval  Cadet  Cluverius  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Naval  Cadet  Cluverius,  I  now  hand  you  so 
much  of  the  record  of  the  second  day's  proceedings  as  contains  the 
testimony  given  by  you  before  this  court.  Please  withdraw,  read  it 
over,  and  return  to  the  court  and  state  whether  you  desire  to  make 
any  corrections  in  the  testimony,  or  whether  it  is  correct  as  recorded. 

The  witness  then  withdrew. 

Mr.  William  H.  Van  Syckel  appeared  as  a  witness,  and  was  duly 
sworn  by  the  president  of  the  court. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  your  residence,  and  what  business 
you  are  engaged  in. 

S.  Doc.  207 4 


50  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  My  name  is  William  H.  Van  Syckel.  My  business  is  superintend- 
ent of  the  West  India  Oil  Refining  Company. 

Q.  Are  you  a  resident  of  Havana? 

A.  No;  I  am  a  resident  of  what  would  be  a  part  of  Reglas. 

Q.  Were  you  in  either  Havana  or  Reglas  on  the  night  of  February 
15,  when  the  Maine  exploded? 

A.  I  am  in  a  part  of  the  Province  of  Reglas,  but  my  situation  is  in 
the  building  which  they  called  formerly  Billott's  Hospital,  now  the 
petroleum  works ;  but  we  belong  in  part  to  Reglas.  I  was  in  the  house, 
answering  your  question,  at  the  time  of  the  explosion. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  all  you  saw  and  heard  in  regard 
to  that  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  inside  at  the  time  of  the  explosion,  and  immediately  went 
outside.  What  I  saw  was  a  bad  sight.  Everything  was  flying  in  the 
air.  There  were  columns  of  black  smoke,  and  pieces  and  parts  of  the 
ship. 

Q.  Was  there  any  flame  flying  up  into  the  air? 

A.  Yes;  all  those  pieces  of  timber  were  aflame.  It  was  like  pieces 
of  rag  and  pieces  of  timber. 

Q.  You  saw  no  solid  upshoot  of  flame? 

A.  No;  that  had  passed.  There  were  particles.  When  I  saw  it, 
there  were  still  particles  arising. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  sound  you  first  heard  which  made 
you  leave  your  house  and  go  out.     What  was  the  nature  of  it? 

A.  First  a  rumble.  Then  the  terrific  explosion.  That  rumble  startled 
us,  and  then  the  explosion  was  almost  instantaneous.  That  is,  no  quicker 
had  we  heard  the  rumble  than  the  shot  came. 

Q.  How  long  a  time  elapsed  from  the  time  you  first  started  until  you 
came  out  and  saw  these  pieces  in  the  air? 

A.  That  is  hard  to  state.  If  you  are  sitting  here  at  the  table  and 
run  right  to  the  door  when  you  hear  a  concussion,  it  is  perhaps  one  or 
two  seconds. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Did  you  see  anything  like  shooting  or  falling  stars  or  fireworks? 

A.  Yes;  apparently.  Those  pieces  afterwards  came  down.  We  stood 
and  saw  them  come  down.  There  were  different  colors  amongst  them, 
apparently  different  kinds  of  timber  or  different  pieces  of  coal  or  ash. 
Some  fell  very  slowly.     Others  came  down  more  rapidly. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Were  there  many  small  pieces  that  were  on  fire? 

A.  Seemingly,  yes;  thousands  of  them. 

Q.  I  mean  pieces 

A.  They  were  all  sizes  from  what  I  should  judge  from  where  I  stood. 
My  position  was  about  a  mile  and  three-quarters  from  here. 

Q.  In  sight  of  the  ship? 

A.  In  sight  of  the  ship;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  whether  there  were  a  great  many  of  these  what 
Captain  Sigsbee  describes  as  stars,  all  of  one  size? 

A.  No;  I  could  not  say  that.  I  couldn't  say  there  were.  They 
appeared  to  be  all  of  different  sizes,  going  in  all  directions. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 
Q.  Did  you  see  any  bursting  shell? 

A.  That  was  afterwards;  but  they  all  appeared  to  be  aboard. 
Q.  There  were  no  bursting  shell  in  the  air? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    XL  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  51 

A.  No;  no  bursting  shells  in  the  air.  I  saw  nothing  that  appeared 
to  be  bursting  in  the  air,  any  place. 

Q.  Did  any  stuff  fall  in  Reglas,  near  you1? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Have  you  heard  of  any  shell  or  pieces  of  shell  being  picked  up 
on  shore? 

A.  No;  I  have  not. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Was  your  view  such  that  you  could  tell  from  which  part  of  the 
ship  this  explosion  took  place? 

A.  No;  not  at  the  moment.  We  were  not  in  a  position — that  is,  we 
knew  that  the  forward  funnel  had  gone  immediately  alter  the  explosion. 
That  we  could  see  by  the  glasses. 

Q.  That  the  forward  funnel  had  gone? 

A.  Had  gone.  In  fact,  both  funnels  had  gone,  but  we  could  see  after- 
wards with  the  light  that  the  forward  funnel  appeared  to  be  lost — 
thrown  overboard — and  of  course  the  forward  mast  also.  We  could 
see  these  things  from  there. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  to 
be  correct;  and,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  converse 
about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  witness  then  added  the  following  testimony: 

The  people  who  would  be  able  to  give  more  exact  information,  and 
who  were  at  the  time  looking  at  it,  were  aboard  the  bark  Matanzas. 
They  are  on  their  way  to  New  York.  They  were  there  in  that  vessel, 
and  they  could  see  if  there  was  any  water  column  or  anything  of  that 
description.  Of  course  they  were  closer  by,  and  would  be  better  judges, 
and  could  give  better  ideas  than  we  could  from  shore. 

The  Court.  But  they,  you  say,  are  on  their  way  to  New  York? 

A.  They  are  on  their  way  to  New  York. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  additional 
testimony  was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pro- 
nounced correct.  The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by 
the  president  not  to  converse  about  the  matters  pertaining  to  inquiry. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Mr.  Howell,  you  have  read  over  your  testi- 
mony? 
Mr.  Howell.  I  have. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 
Mr.  Howell.  It  is. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  then  resumed  the  witness  chair,  and  gave 
the  following  additional  testimony: 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  After  the  explosion,  Captain  Sigsbee  appointed  you  a  member  of 
the  board  to  make  certain  inquiries  and  get  certain  information.  Is 
there  any  information  which  you  have  obtained  which  would  be  useful 
to  this  court? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  I  have  heard  a  number  of  versions  of  the  explosion.  I 
do  not  see  how  they  could  be  of  particular  use  to  the  court,  unless  it 
be  with  one  exception.  If  you  would  like  to  have  that  man  come  aboard, 
he  was  on  the  City  of  Washington. 


52  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Do  you  refer  to  Mr.  Bothschild  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  send  liira  over,  if  you  can  % 

A.  I  will  do  the  best  I  can. 

Q.  Are  there  any  combustibles  of  any  kind  stored  below  decks  belong- 
ing to  your  department!     If  so,  please  state  what  and  where. 

A.  Cotton  waste  is  the  only  one  I  think  of  at  this  moment.  That  is 
stowed  in  the  storeroom  abaft  of  the  engine  room. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Clean  cotton  waste? 

A.  Clean  cotton  waste,  stowed  in  a  storeroom  abaft  of  the  engine 
room.  s. 

Q.  Did  you  have  no  driers  or  anything  of  that  sort  belonging  to 
your  department? 

A.  They  are  kept  on  deck  in  proper  tanks,  with  wooden  boxes  outside 
the  tanks. 

By  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 

Q.  What  instructions  did  you  have  from  your  commanding  officer  in 
regard  to  old  cotton  waste  that  had  been  used? 

A.  We  have  a  number  of  copper  tanks  in  the  engine  room  and  fire 
room,  about  22  inches  high  and  15  inches  in  diameter,  with  covers  on 
them.  They  are  kept  there  for  the  purpose  of  putting  old  refuse  in 
them,  and  oil  waste  and  anything  of  that  style  that  has  been  used. 
Every  day  they  are  carried  away,  thrown  in  the  ash  pile  and  thrown 
overboard. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

After  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  converse  about  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Naval  Cadet  Cluverius  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Ad vocate.  Mr.  Cluverius,  is  your  testimony  as  recorded 
correct? 

Mr.  Cluverius.  It  is  correct,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Capt.  Frederick  G.  Teasdale  appeared  before  the  court  as  a 
witness,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president  of  the  court : 

Examined  by  the  Judge  Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  residence,  and  profession. 

A.  Capt.  Frederick  G.  Teasdale,  Walker  Hall,  Winston,  Darlington, 
County  of  Durham,  England.     I  am  master  of  the  Deva. 

Q.  What  is  the  Deva? 

A.  It  is  a  bark. 

Q.  Where  is  the  bark  Deva  now? 

A.  Lying  at  the  Beglas  wharf. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  place  where  the  Maine  was  anchored  on  the 
15th  of  February  ? 

A.  Nearly  half  a  mile  ;  between  quarter  and  half  a  mile. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Deva  when  the  Maine  exploded? 

A.  I  was  on  board,  writing  my  mail,  getting  ready  for  the  next  day. 

Q.  Where  were  you  ? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  53 

A.  Sitting  at  the  cabin  table  writing  when  I  beard  tbe  explosion.  I 
thought  the  ship  had  been  collided  with.  I  ran  on  deck  when  I  heard 
the  explosion.  I  felt  a  very  severe  shock  in  my  head  also.  I  seized  my 
head  this  way  [indicating],  I  thought  I  was  shot,  or  something.  The 
transoms  of  the  doors  of  the  cabin  are  fitted  in  the  studs  on  the  side, 
and  they  were  knocked  out  of  place  with  the  shock.  The  first  seemed 
to  be  a  shot,  and  then  a  second,  or  probably  two  seconds,  after  the  first 
report  that  I  heard,  I  heard  a  tremendous  explosion ;  but  as  soon  as  I 
heard  the  first  report — it  was  a  very  small  one — thinking  something  had 
happened  to  the  ship,  I  rushed  on  deck,  and  was  on  deck  just  in  time 
to  see  the  whole  debris  going  up  in  the  air. 

Q.  Please  describe,  as  graphically  as  you  can,  how  this  appeared  to 
you — what  you  saw. 

A.  The  stuff  ascended,  I  should  say,  150  or  1G0  feet  up  in  the  air.  It 
seemed  to  go  comparatively  straight  until  it  reached  its  highest  point 
of  ascent.  Then  it  divided  and  passed  off  in  kinds  of  rolls  or  clouds. 
Then  I  saw  a  series  of  lights  fiyiug  from  it  again.  Some  of  them  were 
lights — incandescent  lights.  Sometimes  they  appeared  to  be  brighter, 
and  sometimes  they  appeared  to  be  dim,  as  they  passed  through  the 
smoke,  I  should  presume.  The  color  of  the  smoke,  I  should  say,  was 
very  dark  slate  color.  There  were  fifteen  to  twenty  of  those  lights  that 
looked  like  incandescent  lights.  The  smoke  did  not  seem  to  be  black, 
as  you  would  imagine  from  an  explosion  like  that.  It  seemed  to  be 
more  a  slate  color. 

Q.  Was  there  anything  that  appeared  to  you  to  be  shooting  stars  or 
anything  like  that? 

A.  No;  I  never  saw  anything  like  that;  only  a  series  of  smaller 
explosions,  after  the  first  one,  you  know.  That  occurred  at  stated 
intervals,  probably  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour  each.  You  would 
hear  small  reports  from  the  deck,  as  if  they  were  scattered  shells  about 
the  deck  which  were  going  off,  but  they  would  not  do  any  harm;  some 
going  in  one  direction  and  some  in  another. 

Q.  When  you  first  saw  this  thing,  was  there  a  large  batch  of  solid 
flame  ? 

A.  No;  I  didn't  see  any  flame  whatever.  There  never  was  any  flame 
whatever. 

Q.  You  are  sure  you  reached  the  deck  in  time  to  see  the  large  explo- 
sion? 

A.  I  was  on  deck  in  time  to  see  everything.  I  could  bring  forward 
evidence  by  bringing  my  mate  or  any  of  my  officers.  I  was  the  first 
one  on  deck,  and  they  came  up  afterwards.  The  stuff  had  not  reached 
its  final  ascent  when  they  came  up,  and  I  was  up  two  or  three  seconds 
before  they  were.    The  stuff  was  still  ascending  when  they  came  up. 

Q.  Could  you  see  whether  water  was  thrown  up? 

A.  No;  I  was  too  far  away  to  testify  whether  there  was  water  or 
not. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Could  you  tell  from  where  you  were  at  what  part  of  the  ship  this 
explosion  took  place? 

A.  Oh,  yes;  I  could  see  the  ship  distinctly  from  stem  to  stern.  They 
were  working  a  search  light  from  the  shore,  and  they  threw  the  search 
light  on  the  ship,  and  that  is  the  first  time  I  knew  it  was  the  American 
man-of-war  had  blown  up.  We  were  under  the  impression  before  that 
that  it  was  one  of  these  large  Spanish  steamers  that  had  blown  up. 
They  put  the  search  light  on  the  vessel,  and  the  first  thing  I  saw  about 
her  was  the  davit  for  lifting  the  steam  launch  out  with.    Then  I  saw  the 


54      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

fighting  top  on  the  mizzenmast,  or  the  mainmast,  as  we  call  it.  1  could 
distinctly  see  the  stem  of  the  vessel,  and  I  could  see  this  patch  of  debris 
right  in  the  light.  I  could  see  that  the  funnel  was  lying  at  an  angle  of 
about  35  degrees,  I  should  say,  on  the  top  of  the  debris,  but  it  seems  to 
have  altered  its  position  during  the  night.  I  suppose  when  the  stuff 
finally  got  settled  it  changed  its  position  somewhat. 

Q.  What  I  refer  to  particularly  was,  when  you  saw  this  column  of 
smoke  and  debris  ascending,  could  you  tell  then  what  part  of  the  ship 
it  was  coming  from1? 

A.  No;  I  could  not  see  anything  then.  It  was  too  dark  then.  I 
don't  suppose  we  noticed  very  particularly  for  that,  because  we  were 
so  much  interested  in  seeing  the  stuff  going  up  that  we  couldn't  see 
anything  of  that  sort,  I  suppose.  I  should  say  it  was  somewhere  about 
the  middle  of  the  vessel  from  the  appearance  of  other  craft  about  there 
at  that  time.  I  passed  the  ship  the  afternoon  before,  about  7  o'clock, 
in  a  boat. 

Q.  How  many  explosions  did  you  hear1? 

A.  I  heard  two  distinct  explosions.  The  first  one  was  a  very  sharp 
one,  and  when  that  explosion  took  place  it  was  as  though  some  steamer 
had  collided,  and  the  shock  was  something  tremendous. 

Q.  That  is  to  your  own  ship? 

A.  Yes;  I  am  alluding  to  our  own  vessel  at  the  present  time.  Then 
there  was  a  tremendous  explosion  after  that,  but  before  the  second 
explosion  took  place  I  rushed  out  of  the  cabin  on  deck,  thinking  some- 
thing was  the  matter  with  our  vessel;  that  she  had  collided,  or  some- 
thing. I  rushed  up  on  deck  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  I  do  not 
suppose  I  was  more  than  a  second  from  the  time  I  heard  the  first  explo- 
sion until  I  was  on  deck.  The  sound  was  not  fully  gone  from  the  sec- 
ond explosion  when  I  reached  the  deck. 

By  Captain  Sig-sbee  : 

Q.  Did  you  see  the  vessel  lift  in  the  water  at  all  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  can't  say  that  I  saw  that,  but  I  could  distinctly  see  the 
vessel  from  the  fore  end  to  the  after  end — the  whole  of  the  stem  and 
stern  and  everything.  I  mentioned  something  to  my  officers  then. 
There  was  something  on  the  forecastle  head.  I  think  they  appeared 
like  two  men  standing  there.  I  was  looking  at  the  ship  with  a  long 
telescope.  It  may  have  been  a  gun  or  something  of  that  sort.  I  do  not 
see  how  a  man  could  have  been  standing  there,  the  state  the  ship  was 
in.  I  could  distinctly  see  the  guns  on  the  foredeck,  but  there  was 
nothing  surrounding  them.  It  seemed  as  if  the  protections  of  the  guns 
had  been  blown  away.  The  ship  was  lying  with  the  deck  over  toward 
me,  from  the  position  we  were  in  at  that  time,  and  I  could  see  one  gun 
distinctly  there  and  another  one  up  here  again  [indicating].  Then  on 
the  forward  deck  I  could  see  two  objects.  They  appeared  to  me,  with 
a  glass,  in  the  dark,  like  two  men  standing  there;  but,  of  course,  it 
may  have  been  something  else. 

Q.  How  much  of  a  wave  was  thrown  over  in  your  direction? 

A.  There  didn't  seem  to  be  much  of  a  wave  with  us,  but  there  was 
a  decided  movement  of  the  vessel  shortly  afterwards.  My  mate  re- 
marked to  me  afterwards — he  said:  "Do  you  feel  the  vessel  rolling 
now?"    And  that  was  my  first  mate  remarked  that  to  me. 

Q.  Was  the  vessel  heading  as  she  is  now? 

A.  No;  we  were  lying  at  anchor. 

Q.  I  mean  the  Maine  f 

A.  No ;  1  think  the  wind  was  northwest  at  the  time. 

Q.  I  mean  the  Maine.    Was  she  heading  practically  as  she  is  now? 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  55 

A.  Yes;  practically  as  she  is  now;  but  she  seems  to  have  moved  lier 
position  somewhat  from  what  I  saw  her  the  afternoon  before. 

Q.  I  am  speaking  now  of  the  time  of  the  explosion. 

A.  Yes ;  she  is  lying'  much  in  the  same  position  as  she  was  at  the  time 
of  the  explosions.  She  did  not  seem  to  have  altered  her  position  in 
any  way  since  that  night— not  the  slighest. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  dead  fish  around  the  bay"? 

A.  I  never  saw  any;  no,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  ever  heard  that  fish  leave  this  harbor  at  night  and  j.o 
outside? 

A.  I  never  heard  any  remark  about  that.  I  have  seen  a  good  many 
fish  here,  but  they  were  very  small  fish,  just  spluttering  about  on  the 
top  of  the  water.  I  have  never  seen  any  in  the  night  time,  but  any 
time  when  there  is  any  spluttering  among  the  fish  it  generally  occurs 
in  the  daytime,  so  far  as  my  observation  has  gone.  The  wind  coming 
in  that  direction  carried  a  lot  of  light  material  over  our  vessel  that 
night.  Quantities  of  paper  and  small  fragments  fell  over  onr  ship, 
and  for  some  time  after.  I  picked  up  some  boiler  coating  or  coating 
from  steam  pipes  the  next  morning.  There  also  seemed  to  be  felt 
and  hair.  I  also  picked  up  an  envelope  addressed  to  Mr.  Silley,  United 
States  ship  Maine.  The  stamp  was  gone  from  the  envelope.  The 
envelope  was  somewhat  charred,  and  showed  as  though  it  had  been  in 
the  midst  of  an  explosion,  or  something  like  that,  and  where  the  stamp 
came  off  the  place  underneath  was  perfectly  clean.  I  gave  it  to  the 
officer  who  came  aboard  our  vessel. 

Q.  You  gave  it  to  Mr.  Holman? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  whom  was  that  addressed? 

A.  I  think  Silley  or  Seller.  The  writing  was  rather  bad  and  hard  to 
make  out. 

Q.  Is  that  all,  Captain? 

A.  I  think  that  is  all,  sir.  If  you  wish  to  ask  me  any  questions,  I 
will  be  glad  to  answer  them. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Private  Anthony  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Private  Anthony,  I  hand  you  so  much  of 
the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  this  court  as  contains  the  testimony 
given  by  you.  Please  withdraw,  read  it  over,  and  then  return  to  the 
eourt  and  state  whether  you  desire  to  make  any  corrections,  or  whether 
the  testimony  is  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew. 

Chaplain  John  P.  Chidwick,  TJ.  S.Navy,  appeared  before  the  court 
as  a  witness,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rank,  and  present  duty. 
A.  John  Patrick  Chidwick,  chaplain,  U.S. Navy.     I  have  no  relative 
rank. 

Q.  You  are  attached  to  the  Maine? 
A.  Attached  to  the  Maine. 


56  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Where  were  you  on  the  night  of  the  15th  of  February,  when  the 
Maine  was  blown  up? 

A.  In  my  room,  aboard  the  ship. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  shocks  you  felt,  what  noises  you 
heard,  and  what  you  saw  in  regard  to  the  explosion. 

A.  I  heard  a  loud  report,  and  everything  became  dark  as  soon  as  I 
heard  the  report.  The  lights  were  out,  and  there  was  a  crashing  sound 
of  things  falling.  I  then  rushed  on  deck.  I  got  on  the  captain's  poop 
and  saw  the  captain  there  giving  his  orders.  After  trying  to  cheer  up 
the  men  who  were  crying  out  in  the  water  for  help,  I  was  ordered  by 
Lieutenant  Jungen  to  go  into  a  boat,  which  I  did.  We  rowed  around 
the  ship  and  picked  up  one  man.  Then,  at  the  orders  of  the  captain, 
we  pulled  off  for  the  City  of  Washington. 

Q.  How  many  shocks  did  you  feel? 

A.  I  remember  only  one. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  list  to  the  ship  when  that  shock  was  expe- 
rienced ? 

A.  It  struck  me  that  I  did,  to  the  port  side.  I  am  not  positive  about 
that. 

Q.  Port  down? 

A.  Port  down ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  you  are  not  positive? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  At  the  time  you  reached  the  deck  had  the  large  explosion  taken 
place  and  was  it  over? 

A.  Yes;  it  was  over  and  the  forward  part  was  then  aflame. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  From  what  direction  did  this  first  explosion  or  shock  seem  to 
proceed  ? 

A.  The  impression  on  my  mind  can  not  very  well  verify  anything  I 
would  say.  It  was  like  a  loud  report;  everything  became  dark,  and 
then  the  noise  of  falling  things.  As  I  say,  I  have  an  indistinct  remem- 
brance of  the  ship  falling  toward  the  port. 

Q.  Afterwards  or  at  the  same  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  when  I  was  in  the  room;  when  I  heard  the  report. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect.    The  witness  then  withdrew. 

Private  Anthony  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  recorded  correct? 
Mr.  Anthony.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Ensign  Powelson  then  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Powelson,  have  you  brought  the  draw- 
ings you  were  instructed  to  make? 

Ensign  Powelson.  I  have  one.    I  have  not  quite  finished  the  other. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  You  can  bring  that  later. 

Ensign  Powelson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  If  the  court  please,  Mr.  Powelson  has  brought 
with  him  one  of  the  drawings  he  was  instructed  to  make,  which  I  request 
may  be  appended  to  the  record. 

(Said  drawing  is  hereto  appended,  marked  B.) 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  57 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Powelson,  I  now  hand  you  so  much  of 
the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  this  court  on  yesterday  as  contains 
your  testimony.  Please  withdraw,  read  it  over,  and  tlieu  return  to  the 
court  and  state  whether  you  desire  to  make  any  corrections,  or  whether 
the  testimony  as  recorded  is  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  ask  that  the  court  be  cleared. 

The  court  was  cleared,  all  persons  except  the  members  of  the  court 
and  the  judge- advocate  withdrawing. 

The  court  was  opened,  and  the  stenographer  and  Captain  Sigsbee 
entered. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Captain  Sigsbee,  the  court  was  cleared  in 
order  to  permit  me  to  tell  the  court  what  steps  T  had  taken  to  ascertain 
what  mining  had  been  done  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  and  the  difficulty 
experienced  in  obtaining  any  testimony  on  that  subject;  also  to  submit 
to  the  court  certain  letters,  which  can  not  be  used  as  evidence,  but 
which  also  bear  on  the  same  subject,  and  to  receive  instructions  of  the 
court  in  regard  to  this  matter. 

The  court  (at  1.2  o'clock  noon)  took  a  recess  until  1.30  o'clock  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present :  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  the  stenographer,  and 
Captain  Sigsbee. 

Ensign  Powelson  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Mr.  Powelson,  is  the  testimony  given  by  you 
as  recorded  correct? 

Ensign  Powelson.  I  wish  to  make  the  following  corrections  in  the 
testimony: 

On  page  27  insert  the  words  "top  of  the"  before  "conning  tower." 

On  page  28,  in  the  fifth  line,  strike  out  the  word  "port."  In  the  fifth 
line  from  the  bottom,  the  sentence  should  end  with  "up."  Tn  the 
fourth  line  from  the  bottom  add:  "From  port  to  starboard,"  after  the 
word  "sheared." 

On  page  30,  third  line,  change  "the"  to  "a." 

On  page  32,  first  line,  change  "one"  to  "the,"  making  it  read 
"name  of  the  diver." 

On  page  33,  sixth  line,  "better"  should  read  "battered." 

On  page  35,  the  first  one  in  the  first  line,  "turret,"  should  be  erased. 
In  the  seventeenth  line  "exploded"  should  be  "burst." 

On  page.  30,  fifth  line,  "five  inches"  should  be  "twenty  inches."  In 
the  twelfth  line  the  words  "with  one  end  of"  should  be  erased. 

On  page  39,  fourth  line,  change  the  phrase  "at  port  crane"  to  "and 
port  crane."    In  the  fourteenth  line,  change  "quarter"  to " protective." 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  now  changed  correct  as 
recorded? 

Ensign  Powelson.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  with  me  now  the  other  sketch 
which  I  was  directed  by  the  court  to  make. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  If  the  court  please,  I  ask  permission  to 
append  the  sketch  produced  by  the  witness  to  the  record. 

(Said  sketch  is  appended  hereto,  marked  E.) 

Sigmond  Rothschild  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the  court  and  was 
sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  residence,  and  business. 
A.  My  full  name  is  Aigmund  Rothschild.    My  residence  is  in  Detroit, 


58  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Mich.  My  business  is  packing  tobacco  on  the  Island  of  Cuba,  being 
here  since  1871. 

Q.  Were  you  in  Havana  on  the  15th  day  of  February  when  the  Maine 
was  blown  up? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  Where  were  you? 

A.  On  the  City  of  Washington,  coming  that  evening. 

Q.  How  far  was  the  City  of  Washington  from  the  Maine  at  the  time 
of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  can  not  give  the  exact  distance,  but  I  asked  Captain  Stevens, 
captain  of  the  Washington,  what  distance  he  would  call  it,  and  he  said 
about  300  feet. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  it  happened? 

A.  Eight  on  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  for  the  following  reasons: 
Let  me  explain,  gentlemen.  We  were  only  17  passengers,  and  after 
the  Washington,  which  came  in  about  8.30,  had  received  her  place,  all 
the  other  passengers  went  down  to  take  beer.  They  invited  me  and  I 
said  I  wouldn't  drink  any,  and  my  friend  who  is  upstairs,  Mr.  Wer- 
theimer,  also  said  he  would  not  drink  any.  We  were  sitting  then  in 
the  smoking  room.  This  was  about  9.30.  I  said,  "Let  us  go  to  the 
stern  of  the  boat  and  watch  the  Maine."  I  made  a  joke  about  it.  I 
said,  "We  are  under  the  guns  of  the  United  States;  we  are  well  pro- 
tected, and  we  can  sit  here."  The  chairs  were  sitting  in  the  center  of 
the  open  place  aft,  and  we  wanted  to  pull  the  chairs  toward  the  bench, 
toward  the  railing.  In  doing  so,  I  had  brought  my  chair  just  about  in 
this  condition  [indicating],  and  had  not  sat  down  when  I  heard  a  shot, 
the  noise  of  a  shot.  I  looked  around  and  I  saw  the  bow  of  the  Maine 
rise  a  little,  go  a  little  out  of  the  water.  It  couldn't  have  been  more 
than  a  few  seconds  after  that  noise,  that  shot,  that  there  came  in  the 
center  of  the  ship  a  terrible  mass  of  fire  and  explosion,  and  everything 
went  over  our  heads,  a  black  mass.  We  could  not  tell  what  it  was. 
It  was  all  black.  Then  we  heard  a  noise  of  falling  material  on  the  place 
where  we  had  been,  right  near  the  smoking  room. 

One  of  the  lifeboats  which  was  hanging  had  a  piece  go  through  it  and 
make  a  big  hole  in  it.  After  we  seen  that  mast  go  up,  the  whole  boat 
lifted  out,  I  should  judge,  about  2  feet.  As  she  lifted  out,  the  bow 
went  right  down.  It  didn't  take  a  minute  after  the  lifting  of  the  boat 
until  the  bow  went  down.  We  stood  spellbound,  and  cried  to  the  cap- 
tain. The  captain  gave  orders  to  lower  the  boats,  and  two  of  the  boats 
which  were  partly  lowered  were  found  broken  through  with  big  holes. 
Some  iron  pieces  had  fallen  through  them.  .Naturally,  that  made  a  delay, 
and  they  had  to  run  for  the  other  boats,  or  else  we  would  have  been  a 
few  minutes  sooner  in  the  water.  Then  the  stern  stood  out  like  this, 
in  this  direction  [indicating],  and  there  was  a  cry  from  the  people  "Help," 
and  "Lord  God  help  us,"  and  "  Help !  Help !"  The  noise  of  the  cry  from 
the  mass  of  human  voices  in  the  boat  did  not  last  but  a  minute  or  two. 
When  the  ship  was  going  down,  there  was  the  cry  of  a  mass  of  people, 
but  that  was  a  murmur.  That  was  not  so  loud  as  the  single  voices 
which  were  in  the  water.  That  did  not  last  but  a  minute,  and  by  that 
time  we  saw  somebody  on  the  deck  in  the  stern  of  the  ship,  and  it 
took  about  a  few  minutes  when  the  boats  commenced  to  bring  in  the 
officers.  We  took  them  to  our  rooms.  A  great  many  of  them  came 
without  anything  on  but  a  pair  of  pants  and  nothing  else.  That  is 
about  the  whole  story  in  regard  to  the  shot. 

To  prove  to  you,  gentlemen,  about  that  shot  which  was  heard,  the 
gentlemen  who  have  gone  on  to  Mexico  in  the  same  steamer,  they  were 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  59 

drinking  beer,  and  they  were  about  as  far  from  the  portholes  as  this 
would  be  [indicating].  They  heard  the  shot  first,  and  the  shot  brought 
the  gentlemen  sitting  on  this  side  of  the  table  immediately  to  the  port- 
hole. Then  the  fire  came  out  of  the  center.  So  the  shot  was  heard  by 
everyone,  as  we  stated  that  night  in  the  papers.  It  was  a  shot  similar 
to  a  cannon  shot.  I  do  not  know  what  it  was,  because  I  am  used  to 
this  island,  and  I  know  at  8  o'clock  they  fire  a  shot.  This  was  about 
9.35  or  9.40,  and  it  was  an  unusual  time  for  hearing  a  shot.  If  it  had 
been  about  8,  I  would  not  have  been  looking  around,  because  every 
night  we  hear  that  here;  but  being  an  unusual  hour  I  looked  around, 
and  I  saw  the  upheaving  bow  ot  the  Maine,  just  a  little,  not  very  much ; 
but  the  next  minute  the  middle  section  commenced  to  go  up.  She  com- 
menced to  go  down,  and  in  less  than  a  minute  after  the  upheaving  she 
was  down  in  the  water. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  Maine  was  toward  you? 

A.  We  were  lying  in  the  same  direction ;  that  is  to  say,  when  we  sat 
on  the  stern  we  looked  at  the  stern  of  the  Maine.  Our  boat  lay  pretty 
near  in  the  same  direction.  I  looked  out  from  the  stern  to  my  right 
side. 

Q.  You  mean  the  Maine  was  pointing  right  toward  you — the  stern  of 
you? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  Maine  was  toward  your  vessel? 

A.  The  right. 

Q.  The  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  were  lying  here  somewhere  [indicating]  ? 

A.  Yes;  just  like  looking  in  this  direction,  on  this  side  [indicating]. 

Q.  You  were  looking  toward  the  port  side  of  the  Maine  then.  Were 
you  on  the  Morro  Castle  side  of  the  Maine  or  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Maine? 

A.  We  were  on  the  side  away  from  Havana.  If  this  is  the  bow 
[indicating]  this  is  our  boat.     I  was  looking  from  here  to  here. 

Q.  Then  you  were  looking  at  the  port  side  of  the  Maine? 

A.  Whatever  you  call  it.  I  am  not  a  good  sailor.  I  must  make  that 
confession.  I  was  looking  from  this  stern  to  this  stern  [indicating]. 
Here  is  where  our  stern  was,  and  I  was  standing  about  here  [indicat- 
ing]. Here  is  the  place  where  I  stood.  That  is  the  smoking  room,  and 
this  is  where  all  that  stuff  fell  down,  the  iron ;  and  here,  a  little  nearer 
the  engine  room,  was  where  the  engiueer  was  sitting  when  that  cement 
fell.    Have  you  seen  that? 

Q.  We  have  heard  of  it. 

A.  It  is  kept  by  the  engineer  for  me.  He  says  he  will  bring  it  back 
from  Mexico.  It  broke  a  chair  and  made  a  large  hole  through  the  deck. 
It  is  a  large  piece.    I  think  it  must  weigh  about  30  pounds. 

<$.  How  thick  was  the  cement? 

A.  The  cement  was  about  2  inches  in  thickness. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  When  you  heard  that  first  explosion,  did  you  feel  any  vibration  on 
board  of  your  own  vessel? 
A.  No,  sir ;  none — nothing  but  hearing  it.    There  was  no  feeling  at  all. 
Q.  Did  you  feel  any  vibration  when  the  Maine  blew  up? 
A.  I  did. 


60      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  You  are  certain  there  was  a  distinct  interval  between  the  first 
shot  and  the  blowing-  up? 

A.  Sure,  because  it  was  the  shot  which  made  me  look  first  in  that 
direction. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  Maine  did  the  explosion  seem  to  come  out  of? 

A.  This  we  will  call  the  Maine  [indicating].  The  explosion  came  about 
here.  Take  that  as  the  entire  boat.  There  is  where  it  came  [pointing 
at  about  the  middle  of  the  Maine],  I  am  positive,  because  I  saw  the 
whole  width  of  it. 

Q.  Was  it  on  the  side  toward  you  or  away  from  you  ? 

A.  On  our  side.     The  whole  mass  came  over  our  heads. 

Q.  On  your  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  tell  us  whether  you  saw  anything  going  up  in  the  air 
which  exploded  alter  it  got  there,  like  rockets? 

A.  No,  sir;  nothing  exploded  in  the  air,  because  we  would  have  seen 
everything.  Nothing  exploded.  It  was  merely  a  dropping  against  our 
boat.  It  came  over  our  boat  and  on  our  boat,  but  nothing  exploded 
after  it  went  in  the  air. 

Q.  At  the  time  of  the  first  report,  or  at  the  time  of  the  second 
explosion,  did  you  see  any  water  flying  up? 

A.  From  the  boat,  nothing,  except  when  the  Maine  went  down. 
Then  there  was  a  splurge  of  water  from  the  lurch  of  the  boat. 

Q.  You  saw  no  great  upshoot  of  flame  at  the  second  explosion,  either? 

A.  No;  the  flame  came  after,  more  like  a  burning  fire  flame.  It  was 
an  explosion  which  showed  that  it  was  fire,  you  know,  but  not  that 
flame  which  we  seen  afterwards,  burning  for  hours — what  we  call  a 
flame.  It  was  an  explosion,  and  it  ended  with  that  and  set  it  on  fire 
afterwards.     This  ship  was  burning  until  2  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Q.  That  is,  the  explosion  made  no  great  illumination  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  This  upheaval  caused  by  the  second  explosion  was  limited,  you 
say,  to  that  portion  of  the  ship  which  you  have  marked  out  there? 

A.  No;  the  first  shot  I  heard  I  saw  the  upheaval  here  at  the  bow — 
not  a  great  deal.  WThen  the  second  explosion  came  the  whole  of  it 
was  raised,  only  less  from  the  stern,  and  immediately  she  went  down 
just  as  fast  as  she  could. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  The  forward  half  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Did  that  extend  clear  across  the  ship? 

A.  Naturally,  we  couldn't  tell  from  the  masses  and  from  the  fire  how 
far  it  extended  on  the  other  side,  because  we  were  on  one  side  of  it; 
but  it  looked  as  if  that  whole  center  here  was  torn  out,  from  the  place 
where  I  looked  at  it.  Whether  there  was  anything  untouched  here 
[indicating]  we  couldn't  see  it  from  this  end.  It  was  impossible, 
because  on  this  end  everything  came  out  clean,  so  that  the  whole 
surface  was  taken  out.  We  couldn't  tell  from  our  side  exactly  how 
much  it  took  out. 

Q.  In  regard  to  the  interval  of  time  between  the  first  explosion  and 
the  second,  did  you  do  anything  which  would  enable  you  to  make  a 
measure  of  that  time? 

A.  No;  and  I  will  tell  you  why.  When  that  shot,  or  that  noise,  was 
heard,  it  gave  me  merely  time  to  look  around  to  see  where  it  came  from. 
It  was  night  on  the  water,  and  I  couldn't  tell.    I  just  turned  my  eye 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  61 

around,  and  by  the  time  I  turned  my  eye  around  this  explosion  com- 
menced to  come. 

Q.  One  or  two  seconds  only*? 

A.  Not  more  than  few  seconds,  just  as  a  man  could  look  around.  It 
would  only  take  a  few  seconds. 

Q.  A  second  is  a  long  time  under  such  circumstances. 

A.  I  know  what  seconds  are  since  that  time,  when  we  were  getting 
our  boats  down  to  help  the  people  that  were  drowning.  I  know  what 
seconds  are  since  that  time.  I  never  knew  it  before.  The  noises  of 
these  two  explosions  had  no  connection,  but  they  were  two  distinct 
things.  That  is  to  say,  the  noise  and  the  fire  did  not  come  together. 
First  was  the  noise,  the  shot,  and  when  the  shot  was  over,  then  this 
explosion  took  place. 

Q.  You  saw  the  ship  move  at  each  one  of  these  explosions! 

A.  At  the  first  shot  the  bow  of  the  boat  just  lifted  about  that  much 
[indicating].  At  the  second  one  it  was  more  of  an  upheaval  of  the 
hull,  with  the  exception  of  less  here  at  the  stern.  Then  the  bow  went 
straight  down  like  this  in  this  direction  [indicating]. 

Q.  The  people  on  board  the  Maine  were  quiet  before  this? 

A.  They  were  all  down  stairs,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Wertheimer 
and  myself,  only  two. 

Q.  I  mean  on  board  the  Maine  t 

A.  Perfectly  quiet.  We  even  made  the  remark  how  quiet  everything 
looked  on  board  of  that  vessel. 

Q.  You  saw  no  strange  boats  about  her1? 

A.  Not  from  our  side,  and  it  was  pretty  well  lit  up,  if  everything  could 
have  been  seen.  We  were  interested  because  we  had  just  arrived,  and 
having  read  so  much  in  America  about  the  Maine.  We  were  interested 
to  inspect  the  boat,  not  to  look  for  any  strange  thing;  but  we  saw  noth- 
ing under  the  boat  or  near  the  boat.  When  we  came  in,  all  these  harbor 
boats  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  Maine,  up  toward  this  part  of  the 
city  [indicating].  The  ferry  which  runs  from  here  to  here  [indicating] 
was  taking  her  regular  course  amidst  all  the  cry.  She  was  right  here 
then  and  she  did  not  come  to  help.  The  ferry  runs  across  from  here  to 
here  [indicating].  I  went  to  Captain  Stevens  and  I  said:  "For  God's 
sake,  can't  you  holler  to  that  boat  to  go  nearer"?"  Naturally,  being  in 
midstream,  I  did  not  expect  she  would  with  a  lot  of  passengers,  because 
it  looked  threatening  with  that  stern  part  out,  as  if  another  explosion 
might  happen ;  but  after  she  had  taken  her  passengers  off  she  had  ample 
time  to  go  to  their  assistance  before  we  could  get  there.  She  was  under 
steam  and  she  ran  steady.    Those  boats  run  steady. 

Q.  The  Spanish  man  of- war  in  the  harbor  did  send  boats'? 

A.  Oh,  yes.  By  the  time  our  boats  were  in  the  water  we  saw  the 
flash  light  coming  toward  the  Maine  and  their  boats  were  ahead  of  the 
light,  so  they  came  immediately.  They  also  got  a  big  piece  of  iron, 
which  fell  on  our  boat,  which  was  used  for  binding  the  boat  together 
on  both  sides. 

Q.  An  angle  iron"? 

A.  An  angle  iron.    That  also  fell  on  our  deck. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  very  large  pieces  of  iron  plate  that  were  torn 
off  or  thrown  up? 

A.  No,  I  did  not  see  any  large  pieces.  I  saw  a  big  bulk  flying.  It 
didn't  look  like  heavy  pieces.  It  might  have  been  a  human  body, 
because  everything  that  came  over  us  looked  dark.  We  saw  large 
pieces  of  timber  in  front  of  our  vessel  which  flew  against  it,  but  noth- 
ing you  could  see  with  your  eyes,  because  it  was  so  glaring  on  account 


62  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

of  this  explosion  when  it  went  up  that  you  could  see  nothing  until  it 
went  over,  and  then  you  could  see  it  as  a  mass  and  not  as  an  article 
which  was  lit  up.    You  could  see  it  as  a  dark  mass. 

Q.  Some  of  the  pieces,  you  think,  went  over  the  Washington"! 

A.  I  am  sure  they  went  over  our  heads.  You  see,  this  stern  of  the 
Washington  is  pretty  clear.  Everything  would  go  over,  while  here  in 
front  they  would  fall  against  something.  We  were  sitting  back  of  the 
cabins,  which  was  a  large  sx)ace  free  from  the  deck,  and  everything  went 
over  us;  some  of  them  went  not  more  than  about  10  or  12  feet  over 
us;  the  others  went  very  high,  but  you  could  not  tell  what  it  was, 
except  it  was  a  dark  matter.  There  was  afterwards  many  single  shots 
going  off;  that  kept  on  for  hours  afterwards  until  about  2.15  in  the 
morning,  but  it  was  nothing  like  an  explosion.  It  was  single  pieces  of 
something  going  oh,  that  stopped  right  there. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  anything  flying  aloft  when  the  first  shock  was 
heard  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Nothing  flew  up  in  the  air? 

A.  Nothing  flew  up  in  the  air.  I  looked  around.  I  thought  the  shot 
may  have  come  from  something  else.  If  anything  flew  up  I  would  have 
seen  it ;  but  my  eye  went  not  alone  to  the  boat  but  went  all  over,  to 
see  where  that  shot  could  have  come  from.  Nothing  went  up,  because 
my  eye  was  directed  the  moment  the  shot  was  heard.  1  saw  no  com- 
motion, no  lurch,  like  this  [indicating];  just  a  little  lift.  Then  came 
the  explosion,  which  gave  the  whole  mass  a  lift. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
of  the  court  not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Louis  Wertheimer  appeared  before  the  court  as  a  witness  and 
was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Will  you  please  give  your  full  name,  residence,  and  what  business 
you  are  in  I 

A.  Louis  Wertheimer;  business  address,  148  Water  street,  New 
York;  private  address,  133  West  Ninety-third  street,  New  York  City. 

Q.  What  business  are  you  engaged  in1? 

A.  Dealer  in  leaf  tobacco. 

Q.  Were  you  in  the  harbor  of  Havana  on  the  15th  day  of  February 
when  the  Maine  exploded ? 

A.  I  was  a  passenger  on  the  City  of  Washington. 

Q.  How  far  was  the  City  of  Washington  from  the  Maine  at  the  time? 

A.  I  should  judge  between  100  and  125  yards. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  At  the  actual  moment  of  the  explosion  I  was  in  the  stern  of  the 
Washington,  having  left  about  halfway  between  the  smokestack  and 
the  chief  engineer's  cabin,  where  I  was  standing  talking  with  Mr. 
Rothschild,  to  take  a  seat  on  the  chairs  which  were  on  the  stern  of  the 
Washington.  We  left  our  post  because  there  were  no  chairs  there,  and 
when  we  reached  the  stern  of  the  boat  and  had  just  taken  hold  of  the 
chairs  to  move  them  out  from  the  center  of  the  vessel  the  explosion 
occurred. 

Q.  Then  the  Maine  was  in  full  view  of  you  at  the  time. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  63 

A.  We  were  looking  directly  at  her  at  the  time. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  Maine  were  you  looking? 

A.  We  were  on  the  starboard  side  of  our  boat — the  stern  starboard 
side — and  we  were  looking  at  the  Maine. 

Q.  The  Maine  was  abreast  of  you  ? 

A.  I  should  judge  she  was  parallel  to  us.  The  same  tide  must  have 
put  her  in  the  same  position  we  were  in. 

Q.  Please  tell  us  what  you  felt  and  saw. 

A.  We  heard  a  report. 

Q.  You? 

A.  I  heard  a  report,  a  minor  report,  minor  in  comparison  with  the 
greater  report  which  immediately  followed,  and  at  an  interval  of  any- 
where from  five  to  fifteen  seconds  following  this  first  minor  report  came 
a  great  explosion.  We  saw  an  upheaval,  and  the  air  was  black  with 
flying  objects  which  we  could  not  distinguish,  but  there  were  sufficient 
of  them  to  blacken  the  sky.  In  the  same  burst  of  flame  which  followed 
this  immense  upheaval  I  saw,  clearly  and  plainly,  the  vessel  rise  in  the 
water  a  distance  which  apparently  was  3  yards,  but  which  in  reality 
must  have  been  greater,  and  then  settle  down  before  the  light  of  the 
explosion  went  out.  The  whole  thing  was  over  so  quickly  that  I  could 
not  hazard  a  guess  at  the  time,  but  suffice  it  to  say  that  in  the  burst 
of  flame  which  followed  the  upheaval  of  this  flying  mass  1  saw  the  ves- 
sel settle  in  the  water. 

Q.  Do  you  say  you  noticed  an  upheaval  at  the  first  explosion  or  first 
shock — an  upheaval  of  the  vessel? 

A.  As  closely  as  I  can  say,  I  should  say  the  upheaval  followed  the 
flying  objects — either  that  or  simultaneously.  The  time  was  so  very, 
very  short  between  them,  if  there  was  a  difference  between  the  rising 
of  the  vessel,  the  upheaval  of  the  vessel  and  the  upheaval  of  the 
objects  flying  in  the  air,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  mark  it. 

Q.  I  am  now  referring  to  the  first  shot  you  heard.  Did  you  notice 
any  movement  of  the  Maine  together  with  that? 

A.  No;  not  at  all;  and  bear  in  mind  that  the  interval  was  very,  very 
short  between  the  first  and  the  great  explosion. 

Q.  You  probably  meant,  when  you  said  from  five  to  fifteen  seconds, 
less  time  than  that,  if  you  count  in  your  own  mind  how  long  five  seconds 
would  take. 

A.  Let  me  see  how  long  five  seconds  actually  took  and  I  can  judge 
better.    [Witness  examines  his  watch.]    It  certainly  was  less. 

Q.  Less  than  five  seconds  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  certainly  was  less. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  shock  aboard  the  Washington  at  the  first  explo- 
sion that  you  heard? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  at  the  second? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  decidedly — a  strong  tremor  running  through  the  vessel. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  shell  explode  in  the  air  at  this  second  upheaval? 

A.  No;  nor  was  I  looking  upward  at  the  time.  My  eyes  were  fixed 
then  on  what  was  left?  of  the  Maine — the  deck — settling  in  the  water. 
I  didn't  look  in  the  air  at  all.  I  have  heard  it  said  here  that  people  in 
the  city  saw  a  great  burst  of  colored  lights  in  the  sky,  as  though  signal 
rockets  were  exploding  there.  I  saw  nothing  of  that  from  the  Wash 
inc/ton,  because  my  sight  was  not  fixed  in  the  sky.  It  was  fixed  on  the 
vessel  itself — the  hull. 

Q.  Had  you  been  looking  at  the  Maine  for  some  little  time  previous 
to  this? 


64      DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  Fully  ten  minutes. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  boats  around  her? 

A.  Nothing;  but  the  nigbt  was  very  dark.    Between  the  M;       J" 
the  cornet — 1  took  it  to  be  the  cornet — sounded  on  the  Maine 
extinguishing  of  lights  at  the  explosion  there  was  very  little  n* 
the  bay.     It  was  a  very,  very  dark  night,  so  much  so  t:  at  Mr.  It 
child,  myself,  and  another  passenger  were  discussing  the  cc,      o.  *l 
Maine,  whether  she  were  white  or  gray. 

Q.  There  were  some  electric  lights  showing  on  board  the  Main 
though,  were  there  not? 

A.  When  we  entered,  yes;  as  we  came  up  to  our  buoy  there  was  a 
great  deal  of  light.  There  seemed  to  be  a  good  deal  of  moving  about. 
We  heard  a  concertina  playing  when  we  moored,  which  was  all  pre- 
vious to  the  cornet  sounding. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  I  would  like  to  ask  if,  on  thinking  it  over,  there  is  in  your  mind 
any  confusion  between  the  upheaval  of  the  ship  following  the  principal 
explosion  and  the  fact  that  she  immediately  went  down? 

A.  Will  you  repeat  that  question,  please.    I  didn't  quite  catch  it. 

Q.  You  say  when  this  explosion  took  place,  either  siinultaneously  or 
instantly  after,  you  saw  the  vessel  rise  in  the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  should  say  at  least  5  feet? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Of  course  she  immediately  stopped  and  went  down  entirely  under 
the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  suppose  that  if  she  had  simply  gone  back  to  the  position 
from  whicn  she  started,  it  would  appear  in  your  mind  to  be  as  much  as 
5  feet  that  she  rose  out  of  the  water? 

A.  1  think  she  raised  more  than  5  feet.  I  say  it  was  what  appeared 
to  me  to  be  3  yards — 9  feet — but  I  think  in  reality  it  must  have 
been  more,  judging  from  the  size  of  the  vessel.  She  certainly  settled 
deeper  when  she  came  down  after  being  heaved  up  than  she  had  been 
originally. 

Q.  Yes;  she  went  entirely  under  the  water  then. 

A.  Yes;  she  settled  immediately  in  the  water. 

Q.  You  think  it  was  as  much  as  9  feet  that  she  was  raised? 

A.  I  should  estimate  it  at  that;  yes,  sir. 

(^.  What  part  of  the  ship  was  it  that  was  lifted  so  much? 

A.  The  part  that  was  nearest  to  us,  which  was  the  part  we  were  look- 
ing at.  It  must  have  been  her  stern,  because  her  stern  was  probably 
parallel  with  our  own. 

Q.  Whereabouts  did  this  explosion  occur  with  reference  to  the  Maine1? 

A.  In  what  part  of  the  Maine1? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  That  would  be  very  difficult  for  me  to  say,  because  I  am  not  famil- 
iar enough  with  the  ship.  It  looked  to  be  rather  more  forward  thau 
the  middle  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Was  it  that  part  of  the  ship  that  was  lifted  out  of  the  water? 

A.  No;  not  the  part  that  I  refer  to  as  being  lifted  out  of  the  water, 
because  what  I  saw  lifted  out  of  the  water  must  have  been  her  stern, 
being  the  nearest  to  us,  while  the  part  that  exploded  was  farther  away 
from  us. 

Q.  Was  not  this  lifting  of  the  stern  due  to  the  fact  that  the  bow  was 
depressed  ? 


„1 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  65 

A.  That  I  wouldn't  say. 

Q.  Just  as  if  this  [indicating]  was  the  bow  of  the  ship,  and  the  explo- 
aak  /place  here  forward  of  the  center,  could  the  raising  of  the 
:;a>due  to  the  fact  that  this  end  went  down? 

tUg'ifej  sir;  it  was  too  quick  for  that.  It  was  too  sudden  a  lift.  It 
thave  bten  an  independent  force  tbat  lifted  that  hull  as  I  saw  it 

tftti.  loifc  could  not  possibly  be  the  depression  of  the  forward  end  rais- 
ing tht  hind  end,  because  that  would  result  in  a  gradual  motion,  and 
ihis  was  &  decided  lifting  up. 

Q.  Could  not  that  [indicating]  have  been  the  portion  of  the  ship 
where  the  explosion  took  place? 

A.  No;  the  explosion  was  forward  of  the  stern  which  I  speak  of 
seeing  raised  from  the  water. 

Q.  That  part  which  was  raised  was  to  your  right  hand  as  you  looked, 
was  it,  or  to  your  left  hand? 

A.  To  the  right.  We  were  lying  reversed  from  this,  were  we  not, 
with  the  stern  to  the  mouth  of  the  bay? 

Q.  The  Maine  is  lying  now  just  as  she  was  on  that  occasion.  You 
were  on  that  side  of  her,  looking  this  way,  and  the  stern  was  to  your 
right  hand. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  stern  was  to  our  right  hand. 

Q.  It  would  depend  on  how  you  were  facing,  yourself;  but  the  explo- 
sion was  to  your  left,  if  you  were  not  looking  directly  at  it? 

A.  We  were  looking  directly  at  her,  though. 

Q.  Then  the  explosion  was  to  the  left  end  of  the  part  you  saw  raised? 

A.  I  really  can  not  agree  with  you  on  that,  because  I  take  it  that  we 
were  looking  immediately  at  her.  She  was  in  front  of  us.  We  were 
facing  the  vessel  directly.  Supposing  that  she  was  lying  parallel  to 
us — yes,  you  would  be  right,  it  would  be  to  the  left  then.  I  should 
prefer,  as  a  layman,  to  omit  the  words  "bow"  and  "stern"  because  I 
distinctly  say  that  part  of  the  vessel  nearest  to  us.  I  was  standing  on 
the  stern  of  the  Washington.  That  I  can  say  positively,  but  I  can  not 
say  positively  which  was  the  stern  or  bow  of  the  Maine.  I  simply  take 
it  for  granted  that  she  was  lying  parallel  to  us,  and  that  the  same  tide 
that  swung  us  swung  her. 

Q.  Suppose  this  is  the  Maine  [illustrating].  Instead  of  lying  in  that 
position,  she  might  have  been  lying  in  that  position  [indicatingf? 

A.  We  looked  to  that  part  of  the  Maine  which  was  nearest  to  us,  and 
we  were  on  the  stern  of  the  Washington. 

Q.  If  you  were  looking  right  opposite  you,  and  she  was  in  that  posi- 
tion, then  it  was  the  part  you  were  looking  at  that  was  raised? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  decidedly  and  emphatically. 

Q.  That  is  the  bow  of  your  ship  [indicating].  Did  the  Maine  appear 
in  that  direction  or  in  that  direction  [indicating]? 

A.  That  I  didn't  notice. 

Q.  For  instance,  as  you  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  Washington,  was 
your  head  turned  somewhat  toward  the  bow  of  the  Washington,  or 
were  you  looking  over  the  stern  somewhat? 

A.  Somewhat  astern ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  other  words,  there  would  be  the  Maine  and  here  would  be  the 
Washington  [indicating]. 

A.  If  this  was  our  ship,  my  line  of  vision,  more  or  less,  was  directed 
in  this  direction  [indicating].  The  Maine  was  to  the  right  of  us.  That 
part  I  am  reasonably  positive  of. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
S.  Doc.  207 5 


66  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  asked  permission  at  this  point 
to  be  present,  and  permission  was  granted. 

Gunner  Charles  Morgan,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  and 
was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  present  duty. 

A.  Gunner  Charles  Morgan,  serving  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  New  York, 
of  Key  West,  Fla.     I  am  on  duty  here,  diving. 

Q.  Have  you  personally  done  any  diving  about  the  wreck  of  the 
Maine  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  often  have  you  been  down? 

A.  I  was  down  once. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  remain  down1? 

A.  An  hour  and  twenty -five  minutes. 

Q.  Will  you  describe  to  the  court,  from  your  own  knowledge,  what 
you  yourself  saw  and  felt,  the  condition  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine,  and 
anything  you  may  have  discovered  down  there  of  importance. 

A.  On  being  dressed  and  going  down  the  ladder  and  lowered  down 
to  the  bottom,  I  was  landed  among  a  lot  of  tanks,  some  being  6-inch 
and  some  being  10-inch  powder  tanks,  all  being  empty  and  broken  up. 
I  also  found  what  I  supposed  to  be  the  ceiling  and  the  linings  of  the 
magazine  woodwork.  Then  walking  around  a  little  way  from  the  tanks, 
1  tell  off.  I  landed  down  in  soft  mud.  I  tried  to  pick  my  way  back 
again  and  I  came  across  what  I  supposed  to  be  the  bulkhead.  Placing 
my  hands  upon  it,  I  found  it  went  in,  and  overhauling  it  a  little  more, 
coming  up  higher  on  it  all  the  time  until  I  got  to  the  top,  I  found 
myself  back  among  the  tanks  again.  Then  moving  away  from  there  a 
little  way,  I  found  that  I  got  among  a  lot  of  wires,  which  I  supposed 
to  be  in  the  dynamo  room,  and  also  among  some  accumulators;  and 
everything  in  the  line  of  bulkheads  and  frames  had  a  tendency  of  show- 
ing from  port  to  starboard.  After  overhauling  these  frames,  I  started 
to  walk  away  from  that  direction,  going  along  a  little  way  to  the  left, 
as  I  supposed  it  to  be,  and  there  I  came  across  a  lot  of  frames,  as  they 
seemed  to  be.  They  were  turned  up  and  over.  A  little  way  from  there 
I  got  among  the  paymaster's  stores,  canned  wet  provisions.  In  turning 
around  again,  I  began  going  back  toward  the  same  amount  of  powder 
tanks — the  empty  tanks.  Being  satisfied  I  was  around  the  10  and 
6  inch  tanks,  I  had  the  signal  to  be  called  up. 

Q.  You  say  the  tanks  were  empty  and  broken.    Broken  in  what  way? 

A.  Some  were  just  split  and  others  had  their  heads  off,  and  others 
were  just  simply  pressed  down;  some  had  the  impression  of  the  pow- 
der showing  on  them. 

Q.  Did  many  tanks  appear  to  have  been  burst  open  by  the  charge 
inside  of  them  having  been  exploded? 

A.  Not  so  many  as  those  which  appeared  to  be  just  split  open. 

Q.  Would  the  brown  powder,  exposed  to  constant  weather,  like  the 
powder  aboard  the  Maine  has  been  exposed  in  an  open  tank,  be  likely 
to  melt  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Dissolved? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  67 

Q.  And  some  of  these  tanks  might  have  been  full  at  the  time  of  the 
sinking,  and  the  powder  has  since  been  dissolved  and  leaked  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  explain  what  you  mean  by  saying  the  frames  went  from 
port  to  starboard  ? 

A.  I  would  say  that  the  edges  of  what  I  supposed  to  be  frames  that 
held  the  bulkheads  and  things  of  that  kind  had  a  tendency  of  being 
turned  over  from  port,  facing  down  to  starboard,  from  left  to  right. 
They  had  a  curve. 

Q.  Are  you  fairly  well  acquainted  with  the  construction  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Not  very  well.    I  have  been  on  board  of  her  two  or  three  times. 

Q.  You  have  looked  at  the  plans  since  you  commenced  diving1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  do  you  think  you  were  when  you  struck  all  these  tanks? 

A.  I  thought  I  was  forward  of  the  boilers  and  in  around  the  hydraulic 
pumps.    I  ought  to  have  been. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  explore  what  you  consider  to  be  the  outside  of  the 
ship? 

A.  I  was  down  in  the  soft  mud  there,  but  I  suppose  I  was  on  the 
outside. 

Q.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  port  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  The  place  I  was  at  was  all  gone. 

Q.  Perfectly  open  to  port? 

A.  Perfectly  open,  except  little  ragged  edges  from  the  pieces  there 
on  the  bottom  ? 

Q.  Did  you  touch  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship  at  all;  did  you  reach 
that? 

A.  Just  on  the  starboard  side,  over  the  10-inch  magazine.  That 
was  all. 

Q.  Did  you  touch  the  starboard  side? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  It  has  been  stated  in  this  court  by  another  witness  that  you  fell 
into  a  hole.    What  about  that? 

A.  There  is  a  space  there  where  it  is  deeper  than  any  other  place. 
That  is  where  the  soft  mud  is. 

Q.  You  could  find  no  bottom  to  that  hole  at  all? 

A.  Yes;  there  is  bottom  there. 

Q.  How  far  did  you  get  in? 

A.  About  half  waist.    Near  the  armpits. 

Q.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  hole?  Did  you  find  the  boundaries 
oftheholeatall? 

A.  No ;  it  is  an  open  space,  very  soft,  slushy  mud. 

Q.  But  you  did  not  touch  the  edges  of  this  hole? 

A.  It  is  simply  an  incline,  but  nothing  to  make  a  round  hole. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  how  big  the  hole  was  then? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  how  the  metal  was  bent  at  the  hole? 

A.  There  was  no  metal  at  the  hole. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  you  reached  the  outside  shell  of  the  ship 
anywhere? 
A.  I  couldn't  say,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  You  spoke  of  being  among  the  6  and  10  inch  powder  tanks  when 


68  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

you  first  went  down.  How  many  powder  tanks  do  you  estimate  you 
found? 

A.  I  would  say  there  were  at  least  from  20  to  25  there,  sir. 

Q.  If  the  powder  had  dissolved  and  leaked  out  of  the  tanks,  would 
not  the  powder  bag  have  been  left  intact  in  the  tank? 

A.  It  would  depend  if  they  were  cut  and  jammed  in  the  tank.  We 
found  pieces  and  brought  them  up  to  the  surface.  If  they  were  not  cut, 
they  would  be  found  in  the  tank. 

Q.  Where  would  they  go? 

A.  Down  there  among  the  wreckage. 

Q.  Do  you  think  powder  would  dissolve  sufficiently  to  entirely  leak 
out  through  the  cartridge  bag? 

A.  If  it  was  broken  and  crushed — yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  if  the  cartridge  bag  were  not  broken? 

A.  It  would  stay  in  the  tank,  just  the  same  as  the  10-inch,  if  it  was 
not  broken,  but  it  would  dissolve. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  powder  cases  that  were  full  and  closed  tight? 

A.  At  the  time  I  was  down? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  said  in  answer  to  a  question  as  to  where  you  were  when  you 
found  these  powder  tanks,  that  you  thought  you  were  in  the  hydraulic 
room? 

A.  Because  the  accumulators  were  there,  and  also  the  position  of  the 
accumulators,  and  the  magazine  would  make  it  around  that  room,  near 
the  10-inch  magazine. 

Q.  But  the  hydraulic  room  is  over  the  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  the  lining  of  the  top  floor  and  the  magazine  all 
being  broken  open,  just  as  though  it  had  been  crushed  up  to  the  wood- 
work and  sticking  out,  the  woodwork  being  tongued  and  grooved,  and 
the  woodwork  leaving  an  open  space  there,  showed  the  accumulators 
lying  around. 

Q.  I  am  referring  to  the  powder  tanks.  I  asked  you  where  you  were 
when  you  found  these  tanks.  You  said  you  were  in  the  hydraulic  pump 
room.  Is  it  possible  that  during  all  the  time  you  were  down  you  had. 
not  been  as  low  as  the  magazine? 

A.  I  am  quite  sure  I  was  as  low  as  the  magazine,  because  no  wood 
of  that  kind  would  be  down  there  below  that  deck. 

Q.  Were  you  ever  in  her  magazines  when  she  was  in  order,  before 
this  occurrence? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  was  in  her  magazines.  I  took  special  notice  of 
it  when  I  struck  it,  knowing  that  that  was  something  strange  to  be 
down  there.  I  put  my  hands  over  it  and  noticed  it  particularly,  and 
found  it  was  an  inch  thick.  Then  I  put  my  hand  right  along  aud 
noticed  it  was  a  part  of  the  flooring.  Then  when  I  came  across  these 
other  things  together  it  led  me  to  understand  1  was  at  the  magazine. 

Q.  How  could  these  powder  tanks  have  been  in  the  hydraulic  room? 

A.  There  probably  being  no  solid  deck  there,  probably  they  got  down 
in  below  there.  The  accumulators  were  right  around  in  that  surface, 
and  they  were  secured  to  that  after  bulkhead  above  the  magazine. 

Q.  But  they  were  not  in  the  hydraulic  room? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  were  all  around  the  magazine  at  that  time. 

Q.  They  just  dropped  down  into  the  magazine.     Is  that  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  just  dropped  down  in  there. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 
Q.  Do  you  find  any  10  or  6  inch  shell  below  ? 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  IT.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.      69 

A.  There  were  four  6  inch  shell  lying-  there.  The  man  wanted  to 
hook  them  up,  and  I  told  him  not  to,  because  we  didn't  have  men  to 
haul  them  up.    He  also  put  a  10-inch  sbell  on. 

Q.  Was  this  your  own  experience  when  you  went  down  under  the 
water? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  did  not  find  any  shell  yourself,  individually? 

A.  No,  sir. 

There  being*  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and  hav- 
ing been  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining 
to  the  trial,  he  withdrew. 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Andrew  Olsen,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a 
witness  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  are  you  attached? 

A.  My  name  is  Andrew  Olsen,  chief  gunner's  mate,  U.  S.  S.  Iowa. 

Q.  Have  you  been  sent  over  here  for  the  purpose  of  doing  diving 
duty  on  the  wreck  of  the  Maine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  times  have  you  been  down? 

A.  I  have  been  down  four  times. 

Q.  About  how  many  hours  in  all? 

A.  About  eight  or  nine  hours,  I  guess — around  there.  I  couldn't 
say  exactly  how  many. 

Q.  State  to  the  court  your  own  experience  while  under  water,  as  far 
as  the  condition  of  the  Maine  is  concerned,  and  any  discoveries  of  any 
importance  that  you  may  have  made  while  under  water  yourself. 

A.  The  first  time  I  went  down,  I  went  right  down  over  the  forward 
part  where  she  was  blown  up,  seemingly  over  some  fire  rooms.  I  found 
the  wreck  all  blowed  up.  I  found  a  lot  of  grate  bars  down  there.  The 
second  time  I  went  down,  I  went  down  farther  forward.  I  struck  a  lot 
of  10-inch  shells.  Forward  of  the  10-inch  shell,  the  plates  were  bent 
right  inboard  over  them. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Forward  of  the  shell? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  forward  and  outside  of  the  10-inch  shells.  Some  of  the 
shells  are  laid  with  the  point  of  the  shell  pointing  up.  Some  are  armor- 
piercing  shell  and  some  are  common  shell.  The  points  of  some  are 
standing  up  and  some  are  lying  down.  Eight  forward  and  to  the  left 
of  them,  and  seemingly  on  the  left  side  of  the  shells,  there  are  plates  bent 
inboard  over  the  shells. 

Q.  You  imagine  yourself  looking  forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  Going  over  them  plates,  I  struck  into  a  lot  of  6-inch 
shells  with  their  slings  on  them.  Then  going  to  the  right  from  there 
over  in  that  direction  [indicating],  I  found  a  lot  of  wreckage  over  that 
way.  It  seemed  blown  over  to  starboard.  I  put  my  hand  in  some  of 
the  cracks  and  pulled  out  some  6-pounder  shells.  I  pulled  out  one  com- 
plete 6-pounder  cartridge,  shell,  and  all,  and  one  shell  that  was  all 
blown  up — all  of  them  6-pounder  cartridges. 

The  next  time  I  went  down  I  went  right  down  outside  the  ship,  right 
forward  of  the  crane  on  the  port  side.  I  followed  the  bottom  along. 
The  ship's  side  was  blown  outward,  and  right  alongside  the  crane  you 
can  walk  on  it.    Following  the  ship's  side  from  there  forward,  the  ship's 


70  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHrP   MAINE. 

side  seemingly  goes  into  shape  again.  You  come  to  the  part  where  she 
is  blown  up  completely.  Then  part  of  her  bottom  plates  are  turned  up. 
Then  you  follow  the  bottom  from  there  up  and  the  plates  are  blown 
outward.  At  the  top  and  underneath  the  bottom  they  are  blown  in- 
board like  that  [indicating] — bent  in.  About  3  feet  forward  of  that 
there  is  a  piece  of  iron  laid  along,  seemingly  the  bulkhead.  The  skin 
of  the  inside  of  the  double  bottoms  is  curled  over  like  a  sheet  of  paper 
inboard,  from  stem  to  stern.  Eight  in  amidships  on  the  same  place 
there  is  an  armor  plate,  one  plate  complete,  the  top  of  the  plate  stand- 
ing up. 

The  plate  is  inclined  over  to  starboard.  It  is  laid  over  to  starboard 
completely.  It  stands  up  with  the  thick  part  of  the  plate  down.  It  is 
inclined  forward,  like  that  [indicating],  and  over  to  starboard — one 
whole,  complete  plate.  The  thickness  of  the  plate  on  top  is  7  inches 
exactly.  I  measured  it.  On  the  forward  part  of  that  plate  is  wooden 
backing,  and  forward  of  that  wooden  backing  there  is  a  thin  sheet  of 
steel,  and  the  bolts  holding  the  armor  plate  into  the  backing  are  there, 
two  of  them.  1  felt  them.  I  could  feel  the  hexagonal  ends,  with 
washers.  Whether  they  are  rubber  or  leather  washers  I  couldn't  say. 
I  couldn't  see  them.  I  could  feel  tliem  underneath  those  ends;  and 
that  place  extends  over  to  starboard  about  the  midship  line  of  the 
ship.  Inside  the  10-inch  shell  room,  seemingly,  where  all  those  shells 
are,  I  found  a  lot  of  empty  tanks.  Some  of  them  were  small  pieces — 
three  or  four  small  pieces  there  which  I  couldn't  get  hold  of.  Most  of 
the  tanks  are  cracked  right  in  the  seam,  and  there  are  some  10-inch 
leaves  or  parts  of  tanks  in  there  in  amongst  the  shells.  Right  over  this 
place  that  is  bent  in  by  the  10-inch  shell  room  there  seemed  to  be  the 
frame  of  the  ship,  standing  up  and  bent  inboard  on  the  port  side. 

On  the  edge  of  this  armor  plate,  on  this  thin  sheet  of  steel  that  is  in- 
side of  the  backing,  you  can  see  the  rivet  holes,  and  seemingly  some 
kind  of  an  angle  iron  inside  this  steel.  You  can  feel  the  rivet  holes  on 
the  edge  of  it.  If  you  follow  this  armor  plate  you  do  not  strike  any- 
thing at  all.  Everything  is  completely  blown  away.  There  is  nothing 
but  the  bare  bottom,  mud.  If  there  is  anything  in  the  mud  I  can  not 
find  it,  because  it  is  so  deep  down ;  but  I  have  been  trying  to  dig  down 
as  far  as  I  could.  I  have  been  down  about  five  feet  in  the  mud,  digging 
and  scraping. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Whereabouts  on  this  plan  would  you  put  that  armor  plate?  Here 
is  the  shell  room,  you  see.  There  is  the  6-inch  spare  magazine  and  here 
is  the  10-inch  powder  magazine. 

A.  This  plate  would  be  around  here  [indicating], 

Q.  At  the  after  end  of  that  shell  room  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  the  port  of  the  midship  line? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  port  of  the  midship  line.  May  be  it  might  be  a  little 
over  on  the  midship  line;  but  if  it  is,  it  is  not  much. 

Q.  Near  frame  30? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  skin  of  the  double  bottom  turned  up 
and  in? 

A.  A  little  abaft  here,  seemingly. 

Q.  A  little  abaft  of  frame  30? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  a  little  abaft  this  armor  plate — a  few  feet  abaft  it. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  71 

Q.  How  far  out  from  the  middle  Hue  of  the  ship  would  you  estimate 
it  to  be — halfway,  or  two-thirds  of  the  way  to  the  side? 

A.  I  should  judge  it  was  about  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  About  two-thirds  of  the  way  from  the  middle  line  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  At  frame  30? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  bottom  entirely  blown  away? 

A.  Right  about  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  Between  frames  24  and  28? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  This  armor  plate,  I  should  judge,  would  be  about  here 
[indicating].     The  bottom  seems  to  be  gone  there. 

Q.  How  about  these  shell?    Are  those  shell  there  still? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  are  some  shells  right  in  the  after  end  of  it,  I  judge, 
right  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  There  are  no  shell  in  the  forward  end? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  there,  but  right  over  here,  seemingly.  At  those 
shells  the  plates  are  bent  in  over  them. 

Q.  That  is  on  the  port  side  of  the  shell  room  the  plates  are  bent  in 
over  the  shell? 

A.  Over  the  shells;  yes,  sir,  and  right  over  here  [indicating],  that 
is  where  I  found  some  tanks  broken  up.  About  here,  I  should  judge 
about  the  end  of  the  ship's  bottom,  that  is  the  part  that  is  blown  out. 
You  can  walk  in  on  it. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  In  speaking  of  being  able  to  walk  on  the  top  of  the  plate- 


A.  The  plate  seemed  to  be  flat,  like  that  [indicating],  and  I  could 
walk  on  it. 

Q.  Was  there  nothing  above  that? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  deep  was  that  under  water? 

A.  1  judge  between  4  and  5  fathoms — about  5  fathoms,  I  think. 

Q.  Pretty  well  down  toward  the  bottom  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  That  would  be  from  frame  36  to  frame  41? 

A.  I  walked  on  them,  and  then  they  began  to  take  their  proper  shape 
again.  As  you  feel  the  bottom  up,  you  can  feel  the  shape  of  it.  I 
crawled  over  in  the  mud,  and  that  is  where  1  found  the  plate  bent  up — 
the  bottom  plate,  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  bent  up.  As  I  walked  in  a 
place  higher  up  I  found  them  bent  out. 

Q.  But  under  the  bottom,  about  in  the  vicinity  of  the  6-inch  spare 
magazine,  they  were  bent  up? 

A.  This  place  must  be  abaft  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  That  is  between  frames  30  and  32? 

A.  About  here  there  is  a  space  that  is  nothing. 

Q.  What  I  am  trying  to  get  at  is  where  you  found  the  bottom  of  the 
ship  bent  in? 

A.  That  is  where  I  found  it,  right  about  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  Between  frames  30  and  32? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  right  abaft  where  this  armor  plate  is. 

Q.  How  far  out  from  the  middle  line  of  the  ship? 

A.  I  couldn't  say  exactly  how  far  from  the  middle  line  of  the  ship  on 
account  of  I  could  not  get  underneath  the  mud  far  enough  to  tell  the 
middle  line  on  that  part. 

Q.  Was  it  a  hole  blown  into  the  ship,  apparently  ? 


72  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  In  most  places  the  plate  is  cracked  off,  spread  in  ragged  edges, 
and  in  three  or  four  places  the  plates  are  bent  in  like  a  curve.  Then 
as  far  as  you  go  up  the  ship's  bottom  from  there  up,  she  is  bent  out 
that  way  [indicating]. 

Q.  I  will  draw  a  little  sketch  here  to  indicate  what  I  mean.  That  is 
the  ship's  side  [indicating].  Do  you  mean  that  is  bent  in  so  here  and 
out  so  here? 

A.  This  plate  I  am  talking  about  on  the  bottom  is  complete,  like  that 
[indicating].  There  are  no  holes  through  the  bottom  at  all.  It  is  just 
the  edge  where,  seemingly,  it  has  been  blown  apart,  and  here  the  plates 
are  bent  in,  curved  in  a  little,  and  up  here  they  are  bent  out  on  that 
side  like  that  [indicating].  They  seemed  to  be  about  that  curve.  That 
is  about  the  curve  of  the  bottom  itself,  right  there. 

Q.  Is  there  not  a  hole  blown  through1? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  is  no  hole.  It  is  a  ragged  edge  which  is  bent  out. 
From  here  aft  the  bottom  is  whole  [indicating]. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  bent  in  1  Is  it  simply  a  depression  or  a 
hole? 

A.  It  is  no  hole.  It  is  a  co  ve.  The  plate  is  warped  like,  like  some 
external  force  drove  it  in  like  that  [indicating]. 

Q.  You  did  not  find  a  hole? 

A.  No,  sir;  no  hole,  not  in  that  part.  From  here  aft  the  bottom  is 
complete  as  far  as  you  can  see  for  the  mud.  Where  I  struck  those  10- 
inch  shells  there  are  plates  bent  in  like  that  right  over  them.  You  go 
down  like  in  a  little  hole  and  find  plates  over  you  like  that  [indicating]. 
You  can  stand  right  underneath  that  plate.  It  is  bent  from  the  out- 
board in,  over  the  starboard,  and  the  shells  are  down  below.  I  tried  to 
dig  down  underneath  the  shells;  but  it  there  was  anything  underneath 
in  the  bottom  I  could  not  find  it.  I  couldn't  get  below  them.  If  you 
go  away  over  to  starboard  like  that  [indicating],  you  strike  mud  again. 
There  is  nothing  there.  Then  you  go  over  where  this  plate  is.  You  can 
climb  over  that  until  it  is  bent  over  like  that  [indicating],  and  you  go  down 
into  some  6-inch  shell.  That  is  seemingly  outside  of  this  outboard 
plate,  which  is  bent  over  like  that.  Going  from  that  place  over  there 
[indicating],  there  are  some  pieces  of  wreckage.  Then  there  is  a  lot  of 
wreckage  blown  over  to  starboard.  Then  underneath  of  that  I  put  my 
hands  way  underneath.  I  couldn't  get  my  body  in  there.  I  pulled  out 
two  6-pound  cartridges. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  tanks? 

A.  The  majority  of  the  tanks — I  found  a  few  pieces  blown  up  entirely — 
that  is,  small  pieces  left  of  the  tanks;  but  the  majority  of  the  tanks  I 
seen  down  there  were  split  in  the  center — that  is,  the  seam  of  the  tank 
was  split,  just  melted  away  like. 

Q.  Can  you  imagine  a  10-iiick  charge  bursting  inside  of  a  tank? 
Would  they  look  like  that? 

A.  If  a  10-inch  charge  burst  inside  of  a  tank,  there  would  be  nothing 
left  of  the  tank.     It  would  be  blown  into  small  pieces. 

Q.  Did  you  bring  up  any  tanks? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  bring  up? 

A.  Six  inch  and  10  inch  tanks. 

Q.  Describe  fully  the  condition  of  those  tanks. 

A.  The  6  inch  tanks  I  brought  up  were  corrugated,  the  outside  of 
the  tanks,  and  the  seam  was  split.  The  tank,  seemingly,  was  not 
hurt,  merely  the  seam  being  split,  and  the  whole  tank  was  corrugated. 

Q.  Crushed  in? 

A.  No;  corrugated,  in  waves  like;  the  whole  tank  itself  on  the  outside. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  73 

Q.  Was  it  empty  ? 

A .  It  was  empty ;  yes,  sir 

Q.  Were  both  cylinder  Leads  on? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  top  was  out  of  one  of  them.  In  fact,  1  didn't  fetch 
up  the  whole  tank.  One  of  the  tanks  I  fetched  up  the  lid  was  on  it 
and  the  bottom  was  out  of  it.  It  was  corrugated  and  split  up.  Then 
I  fetched  up  a  10-inch  tank  that  Avas  merely  the  sheeting  of  it.  The 
lid  was  gone  and  the  bottom  was  gone,  and  the  tank  was  all  bent  in  as 
though  it  struck  some  place  and  was  doubled  out  of  shape.  In  the  fire- 
room,  or  where  the  fire-room  had  been,  where  I  found  those  grate  bars, 
I  found  a  couple  of  tanks. 

Q.  Were  they  full  or  empty  ? 

A.  Empty. 

Q.  Apparently  blown  to  pieces  by  a  charge  inside? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  blown  to  pieces.  They  were  ripped,  the  same  as  the 
rest  of  them,  in  the  seam. 

Q.  You  have  given  considerable  testimony  according  to  your  best 
knowledge  and  belief,  as  you  have  sworn.  Do  you  think  that  all  you 
have  stated  is  quite  correct,  or  do  you  imagine  considerable  of  this? 
You  know  you  are  not  supposed  to  be  as  good  a  judge  under  water  as 
you  are  above  water.  Above  water  I  would  not  question  your  testi- 
mony at  all ;  but  do  you  feel  positive  of  what  you  have  stated  here,  and 
are  you  satisfied  that  it  is  perfectly  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  am  perfectly  sure  it  is  all  correct,  the  way  I  found  the 
deck. 

Q.  Are  you  a  good  diver? 

A.  I  have  had  a  couple  of  years'  experience  of  it,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  feel  comfortable  under  the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  you  are  feeling  when  you  feel  anything? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  have  your  gloves  on? 

A.  No,  sir;  bare  hands. 

Q.  You  do  not  feel  ill  under  water? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  fully  believe  that  what  you  have  testified  to  is  quite  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  able  to  see  at  all? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  could  see,  and  when  I  was  not  quite  sure  of  what  I  did 
see  I  used  to  wait  until  the  mud  cleared  away,  so  I  could  see  perfectly 
clear. 

Q.  Were  you  using  any  electric  lights  in  diving? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  the  electric  light  was  not  much  use  to  me.  It 
merely  showed  a  red  glare,  and  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  was 
better  without  the  light. 

By  the  Court : 
Q.  You  could  make  out  forms  better? 
A.  Yes,  sir;. better  without  a  light. 

By  Lieutenant- Commander  Wainwright: 

Q.  In  describing  where  you  saw  the  plate  blown  in  from  the  outside, 
was  there  any  part  of  the  outside  of  the  ship  above  that  plate?  You 
say  it  did  not  make  a  hole.  I  want  to  know  whether  that  was  the  upper 
plate,  or  whether  there  were  other  plates  above  it? 

A.  On  the  outside  of  this  armor  plate  were  a  couple  of  frames  of  the 
ship  sticking  up,  bent  inboard  on  the  outside  of  the  plate. 

Q.  The  armor  plate  I  am  speaking  of  now? 


74      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  On  the  outboard  port  side  of  the  armor  plate. 

Q.  What  I  particularly  wanted  to  know  was  this.  Captain  Chad  wick 
asked  you  whether  it  was  a  hole  or  whether  it  was  bent  in,  and  you  said 
it  was  no  hole. 

A.  No  hole. 

Q.  Was  there  anything  above  it;  was  it  a  plate  bent  in,  or  was  it 
just  an  indentation  in  the  plate? 

A.  It  was  a  plate  bent  in. 

Q.  Were  there  any  plates  above  that"? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  could  feel  above  it  something  that  felt  like  a  coal 
bunker,  above  it  and  abaft.  Where  this  place  was  bent  in  1  found  a 
lot  of  cement. 

Q.  We  will  say  this  was  the  plate  bent  in  [indicating]. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  that  plate  attached  to  any  other  plate,  or  was  it  the  last 
plate  you  could  get  hold  of? 

A.  It  was  not  attached  to  anything. 

Q.  It  was  bent  in? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  above  it  there  seemed  to  be  some  cement  inside.  I 
could  reach  away  in,  and  then  from  there  up  was  something  like  a  coal 
bunker.     I  couldn't  say  whether  it  was  a  coal  bunker  or  what  it  was. 

Q.  Did  you  make  any  effort  to  reach  the  region  of  the  6-inch  maga- 
zine forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  but  I  couldn't  get  there  on  account  of  mud.  To  get 
tbere  I  will  have  to  go  on  the  starboard  side  where  this  6-inch  maga- 
zine was  originally.  Down  among  that  wreckage  is  where  I  want  to 
go  down.  Abaft  that  wreckage,  sticking  up  out  of  the  water,  there  is 
nothing  but  mud  right  beneath  that. 

Q.  You  find  wreckage  above  where  you  think  the  6-inch  magazine 
was? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  it  must  be  right  where  that  big  pile  of  wreckage  is, 
over  there. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Speaking  of  this  plate  that  is  doubled  back  over  the  10-inch  maga- 
zine, is  that,  do  you  think,  a  bulkhead,  or  is  it  the  outside  of  the  ship? 

A.  Over  the  10-inch  magazine? 

Q.  Yes,  or  the  6-inch.     Which  was  it  you  referred  to? 

A.  The  10  inch  shell  room.  If  it  had  been  outside  of  the  ship,  I 
should  have  judged  there  must  be  green  paint  on  it,  but  I  couldn't  find 
any  green  paint  on  that  part  of  the  plate.  It  seems  to  be  a  plate  in- 
side of  the  double  bottom. 

Q.  It  might  be  a  vertical  bulkhead,  might  it  not? 

A.  It  might  have  been  a  bulkhead  or  an  inside  part  of  a  double 
bottom.     It  turned  inward  over  to  starboard. 

Q.  To  have  a  clear  understanding  of  where  that  plate  was  bent  in, 
was  it  separated  from  any  plate  above,  or  was  the  ship's  side  continuous? 

A.  Where  this  plate  in  the  10  inch  shell  room  was  bent  in? 

Q.  This  plate  you  speak  of.  You  walked  forward  on. what  had  been 
the  ship's  side,  bent  outward?  Then  you  came  to  a  place  where  the 
ship's  side  was  bent  in  ? 

A.  That  is  on  the  bottom.  To  get  into  where  these  10-inch  shells 
are,  I  get  clear  of  that  entirely.  That  is  above  me,  and  I  get  into  those 
10-inch  shells,  and  there  seems  to  be  a  plate.  Outside  of  this  plate  is 
mud,  nothing  but  the  bottom,  and  right  over  here  is  this  plate  bent  in, 
like  that.    By  that  I  mean  that  the  ship  seems  to  be  broken  off  for- 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.      75 

ward,  and  a  little  way  from  the  midship  line  the  plating  is  bent  in. 
Higher  up,  in  the  same  section,  it  is  bent  out — that  is,  on  the  cross- 
section  of  the  ship.  The  last  plate  I  refer  to  is  the  one  that  is  thrown 
over  to  starboard,  over  the  shell,  but  not  the  bottom  plate. 

Q.  That  is,  it  is  bent  in  parallel  to  the  keel  of  the  ship? 

A.  It  is  bent  in,  not  exactly  parallel  with  the  ship.  It  is  more  on  an 
angle  over  to  starboard.  Take  this  as  the  line  of  the  ship,  it  is  thrown 
over  like  that — thrown  over  to  starboard. 

Q.  Here  is  the  keel  of  the  ship  [illustrating  with  a  piece  of  paper]; 
here  is  the  magazine.  Is  that  bent  in  over  it  like  that?  [Placing  the 
piece  of  paper  parallel  to  the  keel  of  the  ship  on  the  magazine  plan.] 

A  No,  sir;  there  is  a  piece  sticking  down  at  the  bottom  and  bent  in, 
and  it  comes  up  to  a  point  like  that  [indicating].  That  is  the  way  it  is 
bent  in.  There  was  a  vertical  fore  and  aft  plate,  the  lower  part  stuck 
in  the  mud,  and  the  top  part  bent  over  to  starboard  on  top  of  the  shell 
in  the  10-inch  shell  room. 

Q.  You  say  outside  ol  that  is  nothing  but  the  mud  bottom? 

A.  Nothing  but  mud ;  and  between  this  plate  here  and  this  part  that 
is  blown  away,  where  the  bottom  stops,  there  is  no  more  bottom  there. 
There  is  a  plate.  It  seems  to  lay  over  a  part  of  the  plate.  It  lays  over 
where  this  plate  is  bent  in,  and  it  is  rolled  up  from  port  to  starboard. 

Q.  Is  that  a  part  of  the  ship's  skin? 

A.  I  can't  tell  what  part  of  the  ship  that  is,  sir;  it  is  very  thin  plate, 
whatever  it  is. 

Q.  Do  you  think  the  ship  is  cut  right  in  two  there? 

A.  It  is  cut  in  two  from  out  here  to  pretty  near  the  midship  line,  but 
I  couldu't  get  underneath  it.  I  found  that  part  is  down  in  the  mud, 
but  from  here  in  here  it  is  blown  right  in  two.  That  is  about  the  bend 
of  it,  like  that,  and  here  it  is  blown  out,  like  that,  and  here  it  is 
bent  in. 

(Witness  points  to  the  region  of  the  afterpart  of  the  6-inch  reserve 
magazine.) 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  salient  angles  there  are  in  a  6  and  a  10 
inch  charge  as  made  up?  You  know,  when  you  build  up  a  10-inch 
charge,  it  is  made  of  a  number  of  grains.  How  many  salient  angles 
are  there;  how  many  edges  when  it  is  piled  up  there? 

A.  I  don't  know  how  many  in  a  10-inch  charge.  Every  part  of  the 
powder  comes  out  and  forms  an  angle  in  itself.  I  don't  know  just  how 
many  grains  of  powder  there  are  on  the  outside  of  it.  I  don't  know 
exactly  the  amount. 

The  President.  The  question  that  occurred  to  me  was  whether  these 
corrugations  on  the  outside  of  the  powder  tank  are  produced  by  a 
pressure  on  the  outside,  which  makes  the  circular  section  of  the  tank 
press  in  to  take  the  hexagonal  form  of  the  powder  charge  itself,  or 
whether  it  is  due,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  first  ignition  of  the  powder, 
acting  outward  and  making  the  tank  take  the  hexagonal  form  of  the 
powder  charge.  It  does  not  look  very  probable  that  it  is  due  to  a  pres- 
sure from  the  inside,  but  that  it  is  due  to  a  pressure  from  the  outside,  in 
which  the  hexagonal  pile  of  powder  forms  the  base  on  which  the  pres- 
sure forces  the  tanns  to  take  the  same  shape. 

The  judge  advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  with- 


76  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

draw  for  tbe  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which 
lie  will  be  again  called  before  the  court,  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 

The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accord- 
ingly; whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  4.15  o'clock  p.  m.)  adjourned  until  to-morrow,  the 
25th  instant,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


FIFTH  DAY. 


U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba — 10  a.  m.,  Friday,  February  25,  1898. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday,  the  fourth  day 
of  the  inquiry. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  the  stenog- 
rapher, and  Captain  Sigsbee. 
The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  read  and  approved. 

Gunner's  Mate  Thomas  Smith,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  My  name  is  Thomas  Smith;  gunner's  mate,  second  class,  serving 
on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Iowa,  lying  at  Key  West,  Fla. 

Q.  You  have  been  engaged  in  diving  here  recently? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  times  have  you  been  down? 

A.  I  have  been  down  altogether  four  times. 

Q.  In  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  how  long  a  time  in  all? 

A.  Eight  hours. 

Q.  Are  you  a  good  diver? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  a  fair  one.     I  have  been  down  lots  of  times. 

Q.  Do  you  get  sick  under  water? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not. 

Q.  Do  you  feel  perfectly  well? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Strong? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Can  you  see  well? 

A.  I  can  see  well,  when  the  water  is  anyway  clear,  but  this  water  is  not 
clear.  We  can't  see  any  more  than  about  a  foot  or  eighteen  inches  out 
from  you. 

Q.  I  want  you  to  give  certain  testimony,  and  in  giving  it  I  want  you 
to  be  sure  that  what  you  testify  to  is  perfectly  correct,  and  not  make 
any  guess.  You  will  please  state  to  the  court  exactly  what  you  found 
under  water  as  far  as  the  construction  of  the  Maine  is  concerned,  and 
any  other  important  discoveries,  or  any  discoveries  that  you  may  have 
made. 

A.  First,  when  I  was  lowered  over  the  side  I  landed  into  a  10-inch 
shell  room — the  flooring  of  it.     I  knew  it  was  the  10-inch  shell  room,  as 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  77 

the  10-inch  shells  were  lying  there  in  good  order.  Some  of  them  were 
lying  with  their  noses  up,  others  down.  There  was  also  pieces  of  the 
wood  used  as  linings  in  the  magazines  lying  around  them.  In  this 
10-inch  shell  room  the  fore-and-aft  bulkhead  is  blown  from  port  to  star- 
board, over  toward  the  10  inch  magazine.  I  crawled  up  and  over  this 
and  down  behind  it.  I  found  a  10  inch  powder  tank.  It  was  sort  of 
bent,  but  it  was  not  burst.  I  didn't  see  it  after  it  came  up.  It  was 
full  of  powder,  and  the  bag  and  everything  was  in  it,  I  guess.  That 
was  lying  in  the  mud,  well  underneath  this  sheet  of  a  bulkhead  that 
was  thrown  over.  Then  I  came  up  out  of  the  water  and  I  went  down 
again  in  the  afternoon.  I  came  down  from  the  port  crane.  I  followed 
the  ship  right  down  until  I  struck  plates  that  were  blown  from  port  to 
starboard,  inboard.  I  followed  that  right  down  uutil  I  struck  the 
6-inch  shells.  The  shells  there  had  their  slings  on  them — what  is  used 
for  sending  them  up  out  of  the  shell  room.  They  were  lying  with  the 
noses  of  them  pointing  up  and  to  starboard.  The  forward  part  of  the 
G-inch  reserve  magazine,  it  seems  to  me,  was  gone  altogether — com- 
pletely blown  away.  The  ragged  edges  of  the  shell-room  steel  are 
turned  up. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  The  ragged  edges  whereabouts  in  the  shell  room?  Do  you  mean 
in  the  bottom  of  the  shell  room? 

A.  Eight  at  the  bottom  of  it;  yes,  sir.  As  you  leave  that  you  walk 
right  over  into  the  mud.     There  is  nothing  left  there  at  all. 

Q.  Going  still  forward? 

A.  Still  farther  forward.  I  came  back  on  the  wreckage,  and  walked 
over  to  my  right,  and  I  came  across  a  lot  of  6  pounder  shells,  and  also 
the  6-pounder  cases.  Some  of  the  cases  were  not  broken  away  from 
the  shells.  They  were  sent  up  on  the  deck  of  the  lighter  that  we  were 
using. 

Q.  In  your  description,  include  the  number  of  these  things. 

A.  I  sent  up  two  shells  and  one  cartridge  case.  I  also  found  lying 
around  there  lots  of  accumulators,  used  for  accumulating  the  air  for 
the  torpedoes. 

Q.  You  can  read  these  plans,  can  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  There  is  the  10-inch  magazine  [indicating  on  plan]  ? 

A.  I  have  something  else  I  want  to  say  before  that.  Lying  right 
across  this  10-inch  shell  room  there  is  an  armor  plate.  The  end  of  it 
that  is  sticking  up  is  thinner  than  the  part  that  is  down  in  the  mud. 
The  reason  I  take  this  for  an  armor  plate  is  that  the  plate  has  been 
torn  right  from  the  ship's  side  aud  turned  completely  over,  so  that  the 
thin  sheet  of  steel  where  the  bolts  pass  through  to  bolt  the  oak  back- 
ing and  the  armor  plate  of  the  ship's  side  is  right  over,  pointing  to 
port.  The  thick  part  of  this  plate  is  down  in  the  mud,  and  the  thin 
part  of  it  is  sticking  up. 

Q.  Just  where  is  that  plate? 

A.  Eight  across  this  part  of  the  10-inch  shell  room  [pointing  to  the 
middle  of  the  10-inch  shell  room],  pointing  from  port  to  starboard. 

Q.  It  runs  from  aft  forward? 

A.  Just  in  that  angle,  like  that,  across  it  [indicating].  I  felt  the 
bolts  that  go  through  this  oak  backing  and  the  thin  sheet  that  screws 
into  the  armor  plate.  I  felt  those.  Then  around  here  [indicating] 
there  were  lots  of  those  6-inch  powder  tanks.  In  most  of  them  the 
seams  are  split.  They  are  lying  all  over  in  the  10-inch  shell  room  and 
the  magazine — all  around  it. 


78  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Have  they  all  been  sent  np  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  they  have  not.  There  was  a  number  of  them  sent  up, 
though,  and  the  excelsior — long-  strips  of  stuff,  which  was  put  in  the  bot- 
tom to  help  fill  the  tanks,  is  iu  them  yet.  There  is  a  number  of  these 
tanks  down  there,  that  are  in  pieces  as  big  as  your  hand,  all  torn  to 
pieces.  This  6-inch  forward  magazine,  I  don't  think  we  have  been  in  it. 
It  is  away  forward.  This  one  here  we  have  been  all  through  and  all 
around,  and  that  one  [indicating]. 

By  the  Judge- Advcate  : 

Q.  Describe  what  you  found  the  other  times  you  went  down? 

A.  The  third  time  I  was  lowered  down  I  was  landed  right  about  in 
the  same  place  as  the  first,  and  I  took  the  same  direction  toward  the 
10-inch  magazine,  to  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship.  I  can  not  make 
much  headway  there  because  the  plates  and  everything  seemed  to  be 
blown  right  down  that  way.  I  had  to  climb  up  and  get  in  under  them 
That  is  where  the  10-inch  powder  tank  came  out  of.  I  traveled  well 
forward  there  as  far  as  I  could  where  this  fixed  ammunition  was,  and 
I  found  any  number  of  them  still  there.  There  are  6-pounder  shellls 
and  cartridge  cases.  Yesterday  when  I  went  down — this  was  the 
fourth  time — I  went  down  where  this  crane  was.  I  followed  the  skin 
of  the  ship  right  under.  The  skin  of  the  ship  looks  in  good  condition 
right  there  until  you  walk  out  to  where  this  G-iuch  shell  room  starts. 
The  plates  are  bent  that  way,  from  out  inboard.  They  are  all  ragged 
edges.  You  can  get  in  there.  You  can  crawl  up  and  go  into  a  place 
and  find  the  double  bottom.  I  can  feel  the  pieces  of  cement  and  things 
where  you  crawl  over  these  ragged  plates.  That  is  about  all  I  can 
explain  now,  I  think. 

Q.  The  first  time  you  went  down  you  struck  a  10-inch  tank,  and  you 
described  it.    Did  you  find  any  more  10-inch  tanks  at  that  time? 

A.  I  found  lots  of  10-inch  tanks;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  None  of  them  had  been  blown  open  by  a  charge  exploded  inside 
of  them,  according  to  your  opinion? 

A.  The  seams  in  the  majority  of  them  are  just  split  fore  and  aft.  It 
seems  as  if  the  solder  had  been  melted  away  from  it,  and  it  burst  right 
in  and  flatted  out.  In  that  one  part  I  was  in  you  would  find  the  lids 
of  them. 

Q.  You  say  you  never  reached,  according  to  your  opinion,  the  forward 
6-inch  magazine  and  shell  room? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Suppose  I  were  to  tell  you  there  are  no  6-inch  shell  in  that 
reserve  magazine.  How  would  you  account  for  the  6-inch  shell  you 
found  there? 

A.  They  had  been  blown  there  from  the  forward  one. 

Q.  Blown  aft? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  also  said  there  were  certain  plates  blown  inboard.  Show  on 
the  plan  and  describe  fully  where  those  plates  are  that  you  say  were 
blown  inboard. 

A.  Do  you  want  me  to  take  the  bottom  ones? 

Q.  Yes ;  the  ones  you  said  were  blown  inboard.  I  do  not  mean  the 
bulkhead  that  was  blown  across  the  10-inch  shell  room  that  you  crawled 
over  to  get  at  the  magazine.  I  mean  the  plates  that  you  said  were 
blown  inboard.     Describe  exactly  where  they  were. 

A.  They  are  about  in  the  middle  of  the  6  inch  reserve  magazine  and 
the  10-inch  shell  room,  from  about  frame  26  forward.  This  plate  rnns 
right  across.     Those  other  plates  are  blown  up.     They  are  coiled  right 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.      79 

up  in  that  shape  [indicating],  from  out  inward.  One  of  them  particu- 
larly that  I  noticed  is  coiled  right  over,  just  the  same  as  if  you  took  a 
piece  of  paper  like  that  [indicating]. 

Q.  Do  you  think  that  was  the  bulkhead  or  the  inboard  lining  of  the 
double  bottom? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not. 

Q.  What  do  you  think  it  is? 

A.  It  is  the  ship's  bottom. 

Q.  The  outside  skin  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  place  that  about  the  middle  of  the  C-inch  shell  room? 

A.    The  middle  of  the  6-inch  shell  room. 

Q.  The  reserve  shell  room  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  from  there  it  comes  in  a  circle,  like  that  [indicating], 
and  there  is  nothing  of  the  outside  of  the  ship  there  at  all.  1  do  not 
know  what  is  forward  here,  because  I  have  not  been  there.  There  is 
nothing  of  the  ship's  skin  thei  e  at  all  [indicating]. 

Q.  Nothing  forward  of  the  reserve  shell  room  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  as  far  as  I  went.  About  half  of  that  reserve  magazine 
is  there,  but  it  is  blown  that  way  [indicating  to  starboard].  There  is 
just  the  position  the  shells  are  sticking  [indicating].  They  are  stand- 
ing right  on  their  bases,  the  points  sticking  up  and  pointing  toward 
starboard.  I  counted  six  of  them  standing  right  close  together. 
About  three  out  of  that  six  had  the  slings  on  them,  the  hemp  slings 
used  for  sending  them  out  of  the  magazine.  In  that  part  of  it,  there  is 
nothing  of  the  ship's  bottom  at  all  [pointing  to  the  forward  part  of  the 
6-inch  reserve  magazine  and  the  10-inch  shell  room  on  the  plan]. 

Q.  Give  a  little  more  full  description  of  the  side  and  skin  of  the  ship 
abaft  that  reserve  magazine. 

The  Court.  May  I  suggest  one  thing?  He  mentioned  that  [indicat- 
ing] as  the  crane.  The  crane  stands  about  there  [pointing  to  the  middle 
of  the  side]. 

A.  I  started  down  from  the  crane. 

Q.  When  you  walked  forward  to  the  magazine,  the  skin  of  the  ship 
was  in  good  condition,  you  say? 

A.  In  good  condition  as  you  go  down,  in  that  shape  [indicating], 

Q.  And  the  first  sudden  break  is  abreast  of  the  reserve  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir.. 

Q.  You  think  abaft  that,  as  far  as  the  crane  where  you  started  your 
work,  it  is  complete  up  to  the  waterways? 

A.  I  think  it  is  all  right  from  there  aft,  sir. 

Q.  From  where  alt? 

A.  From  the  break  in  the  6-inch  shell  room  to  the  crane. 

Q.  Here  is  the  crane  right  here  [indicating].  You  went  down  at  the 
crane,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  do  you  mean,  Smith,  when  you  say  you  walked  down?  It 
would  seem  as  though  there  was  an  inclined  plane  there? 

A.  There  is  an  incline  from  there  down;  yes,  sir.  It  is  all  old 
wreckage.  There  is  so  much  of  it  right  in  there  that  I  couldn't  tell 
really  what  it  was.  We  will  come  across  a  ventilator  or  a  piece  of  air 
compressor  or  something  else  right  aft  there,  where  the  boiler  origi- 
nally was.  You  can't  make  any  head  or  tail  of  anything  until  you 
come  to  this  place  here  [indicating].  My  work  is  confined  right 
around  these  magazines  all  the  time. 


80      DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.. 

By  the  Judge  Advocate  :  , 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Anywhere  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  have  been  a  little  over  the  center  line  of  the  p' 

Q.  Coming-  from  port"? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  you  have  not  gone  down  on  the  starboard  side1? 

A.  No,  sir  . 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  bulkhead  outboard  of  the  10-inch  maga- 
zine is  still  standing? 

A.  I  can't  tell,  because  I  haven't  been  over  there. 

Q.  You  did  not  reach  that  far? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  describe  fully  the  different  articles  you  brought  up? 

A.  The  first  thing  I  brought  up  was  a  10-inch  powder  tank,  full. 
The  next  thing  I  sent  up  was  a  6-pounder  shell  that  had  been 
broken  away  from  its  case.  I  sent  up  a  6-pouuder  charge  complete.  I 
sent  up  one  case  that  was  broken  away  and  one  0-inch  powder  tank  that 
had  been  split  open.     That  is  all  I  sent  up. 

Q.  What  was  inside  that  last  0-inch  powder  tank? 

A.  Excelsior  packing. 

Q.  Was  it  full  or  was  it  empty? 

A.  Empty. 

Q.  Were  both  cylinder  heads  on  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  just  the  seam  was  split.     That  is  all. 

Q.  Was  the  bag  inside  that  had  contained  the  powder? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Then  it  might  have  been  an  empty  tank  stowed  down  there? 

A.  It  might  have  been  an  empty  tank. 

Q.  You  can  not  account  for  the  powder  getting  out  and  the  bag  get- 
ting out  with  both  cylinder  heads  on,  can  you? 

A.  If  they  had  been  burst  open,  the  powder  would  have  melted  as 
soon  as  it  got  wet  and  probably  have  floated  out  of  it. 

Q.  Was  the  split  in  the  side  big  enough  to  let  the  bag  come  out? 

A.  The  whole  length  of  the  case;  yes,  sir. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Is  there  any  great  difficulty  in  getting  over  to  the  starboard  side 
below  in  the  magazine? 

A.  There  is;  yes,  sir;  because  everything  is  blown  from  port  to  star- 
board. 

Q.  You  think,  then,  it  is  not  possible  to  get  into  the  10-inch  maga- 
zine? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  can  get  in  there.  Any  one  of  us  can  get  in  there;  by 
very  hard  work,  though. 

Q.  Nobody  has  been  in  there  yet? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  right  into  it.  They  have  been  on  the  edge  of  it,  but 
they  have  not  been  properly  into  it. 

Q.  Would  it  be  very  dangerous  to  go  in  there? 

A.  It  is  a  pretty  dangerous  place;  yes,  sir,  on  account  of  you  have  to 
go  up  some  frames  and  crawl  down,  and  you  are  right  underneath  them. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  anything  about  the  location  of  the  barbette,  or  tur- 
ret, while  you  were  down  ? 

A.  I  didn't  run  across  it  at  all,  sir.     I  seen  no  part  of  it. 

Q.  Did  you  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  missing  from  its  regu- 
lar place  on  the  forward  side  starboard,  abreast  of  where  you  were  ? 


OBSTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  81 

v~es :  it  was  missing  from  its  proper  place. 

as  it  on  the  port  side? 
it  was  on  the  starboard  side,  forward.     It  was  right  plumb  over 
?azine.    I  didn't  come  across  anything  that  would  lead  me  to 
^at  I  was  around  the  turret  at  all. 

By  the  Court  : 

Smith,  you  described  that  forward  portion  of  the  6-inch  reserve 
.""ne  as  being  entirely  gone.    The  outside  of  the  ship  has  entirely 
disappeared  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  There  is  a  hole  through  the  bottom  of  the  ship  at  that  point? 

A.  The  side  and  everything  is  gone  right  away  from  it. 

Q.  Then,  there  must  be  a  hole  through  the  ship*? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  high  up  does  that  extend — that  hole  ?  Here  is  the  side  of  the 
ship,  you  know,  and  you  go  down  underneath.  This  is  entirely  gone, 
a  certain  portion  of  it  |  indicating]  ? 

A.  Entirely  gone;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  high  up  on  the  side  does  it  extend,  or  is  that  all  gone,  clear 
to  the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  you  can  take  me  and  lower  me  right  from  the  diving 
launch  down  into  the  mud,  and  I  can  walk. 

Q.  That  might  be,  too,  and  if  you  were  inside  of  the  ship,  there  might 
be  continuous  metal  outside  of  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Suppose  this  were  the  magazine  [indicating]. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  say  that  portion  is  all  gone? 

A.  That  portion  is  all  gone;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Why  do  you  say  this  portion  is  all  gone  [indicating]? 

A.  That  is  the  upper  part. 

Q.  That  is  the  upper  part,  I  know,  but  when  you  are  lowered  down, 
you  go  right  down  into  the  mud? 

A.  I  can  walk  oft"  iu  this  direction  [indicating  to  port]  and  I  come 
across  nothing.  I  walk  in  here  [indicating  to  starboard]  and  I  come 
across  the  wreckage. 

Q.  That  is,  you  say  you  can  go  right  out  there  into  the  mud  [indica- 
ting]? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  there  is  nothing  there  at  all  until  you  walk  aft. 

Q.  That  is,  the  whole  side  has  disappeared  there  ? 

A.  The  whole  side  has  disappeared.  It  is  completely  gone  right  up 
to  there  [indicating  frame  26].  Then  you  can  walk  over.  I  don't  know 
about  this  side  [indicating]. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  all  that  part  of  the  ship  is  gone  [indicating  every- 
thing over  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine  and  10-inch  shell  room]? 

A.  That  part  of  the  ship  is  gone,  and  everything  up  here  is  gone. 
Taking  this  for  the  port  side  of  the  ship,  it  seems  that  the  midship  bulk- 
head and  everything  on  here  is  off  in  that  direction  [pointing  to  star- 
board]. 

Q.  You  have  not  been  far  enough  to  see  what  there  is  beyond?  You 
do  not  know  whether  this  hole  extends  clear  forward  or  not? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  know  where  that  part  goes.     As  far  as  I  can  give 
any  good  explanation,  this  was  up  to  the  fixed  ammunition  magazine 
[indicating].     Around  in  this  part  here  [pointing  to  the  10-inch  maga- 
S.  Doc.  207 6 


82  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

zine]  we  have  not  been  much.  Here  is  that  armor  plate  [indicating  on 
plan].  If  you  wish  me  to  give  a  better  explanation  than  I  did  before, 
probably  I  can  do  it  now.  This  is  the  part  [indicating  the  midship  sec- 
tion] that  is  sticking  up  out  of  the  mud  [pointing  to  the  lower  part]. 
That  has  been  torn  off  the  ship  altogether,  and  turned  right  over,  and 
it  is  at  that  angle  across  the  10-inch  room  [showing  an  angle  of  45 
degrees  to  the  keel]. 

Q.  The  greatest  force  of  the  explosion  seems  to  have  been  forward 
here  [indicating]  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  in  the  forward  part  of  the  10-inch  shell  room,  and  the 
6-inch  spare  magazine. 

Q.  Is  forward  of  that? 

A.  It  takes  in  part  of  the  6-inch  shell  room  and  part  of  the  10-inch 
shell  room,  too.  Where  these  plates  are  ripped  up,  and  all  forward  of 
that,  is  completely  blown  out. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Suppose  the  part  that  you  say  is  blown  away  is  a  hole  with  a  por- 
tion of  the  ship's  side  still  over  it.  Could  you  walk  athwartships  out 
of  the  ship  or  into  the  ship  without  catching  your  tubes  and  life  lines? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  could  not. 

Q.  Then  if  there  were  a  part  of  the  ship  still  standing  above  that 
hole 

A.  I  could  feel  my  life  lines  hauling  over  it.  Besides,  I  have  a  guide 
line  right  from  the  diving  lines  down,  and  made  fast  into  the  shell 
room — into  the  after  part  of  it. 

Q.  Beferring  to  that  armor  plate,  you  say  it  is  thin  edge  up? 

A.  Thin  edge  np;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  It  is  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees  across  the  keel ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  face  which  used  to  be  outboard.  Is  that  toward  the  star- 
board quarter  of  the  ship  or  the  port  bow"? 

A.  You  take  that  [indicating]  for  an  angle  of  45°.  It  is  pointing  to 
the  starboard  quarter  of  the  ship. 

Q.  And  the  place  that  has  the  nuts  and  bolts  on  it  is  facing  which 
way? 

A.  To  the  port  bow. 

Q.  I  want  to  ask  you  one  more  question  in  regard  to  the  port  side  of 
the  ship,  from  the  derrick  forward  to  the  part  which  was  exploded  most 
severely.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  ship's  side  from  the  derrick 
forward  to  the  reserve  magazine? 

A.  The  condition  of  the  side  seems  to  be  pretty  good. 

Q.  Give  it  a  little  more  plainly  than  that.  Is  it  complete  up  to  the 
waterways,  or  is  it  gradually  torn  away  down  to  this  hole? 

A.  It  is  gradually  torn  away  down  to  that;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Commencing  abreast  of  the  derrick,  it  is  gradually  torn  down 
until  it  reaches  this  hole  of  the  large  explosion  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  that  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  indications  in  the  direction  of  the  metal  below 
or  otherwise  to  indicate  that  the  10-iuch  magazine  had  exploded? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  can't  see  anything  that  indicates  that  the  10-inch 
magazine  has  exploded  so  far,  because  the  plates  all  point  to  starboard. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  tendency  or  plates  away  from  this  10-inch 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  83 

magazine  over  toward  the  port  side — of  the  plates  bent  from   the 
magazine  to  port  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  They  were  all  in  the  other  direction  ? 

A.  They  were  all  in  the  other  direction — to  starboard. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the  sten 
ographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Martin  Reden,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  Martin  Eeden ;  seaman;  attached  to  the  Maine. 

Q.  Have  you  been  diving  into  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  her 
explosion  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  times  have  you  been  down  forward  ? 

A.  Twice. 

Q.  Twice  forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  your  profession  before  you  entered  the  Navy? 

A.  Diving,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  a  professional  diver? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  For  how  many  years? 

A.  Seven  or  eight  years;  eight  years,  I  think,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  done  much  wrecking  diving? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  Key  West,  Oldtown,  Mexico,  Colon,  and  on  the  Mosquito  Coast. 

Q.  Were  you  in  good  health  when  you  went  down  to  the  wreck  of 
the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Ho  you  think  you  can  give  testimony  correctly  as  to  what  you 
saw  and  felt  down  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  down  each  time  forward? 

A.  The  first  time,  I  think,  I  was  down  about  three  hours,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  all  you  saw  down  there  during  that  time  which 
can  give  them  information  as  to  the  condition  of  the  Maine,  and  any 
discoveries  you  made,  and  describe  anything  you  may  have  brought  up 
during  that  dive. 

A.  The  first  time  1  went  down,  I  went  down  about  where  the  dynamo 
room  is.  There  is  nothing  left  whatever,  only  some  plates  and  beams. 
I  can  not  tell  if  there  has  been  a  dynamo  there,  or  anything  else. 
Everything  is  gone  entirely.  I  felt  away  down  in  the  mud  as  far  as  I 
could  go  from  outside.  I  walked  from  outside  the  ship  into  the  ship, 
and  I  could  feel  nothing  else  there.  I  only  came  across  a  plate  or  a 
beam  or  a  shell.  That  is  all,  sir.  I  went  from  aft  the  superstructure, 
and  went  right  down,  and  the  mud  goes  aft  I  couldn't  say  how  far.  It 
is  very  dark  there.  I  struck  one  bottom  plate  away  down  in  the  mud, 
and  the  plate  is  bent  in  this  way,  and  up  that  way  [indicating]. 

Q.  It  is  bent  in  and  up? 


84  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  It  is  bent  in  this  way,  right  underneath  the  bulge  of  the  plate. 
I  went  into  the  mud  down  to  the  plate,  and  the  rivet  is  bent  out.  The 
plate  is  bent  in  this  way. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  You  say  it  is  bent  "in  this  way."  Which  way  do  you  mean; 
bent  to  starboard,  or  to  port  ? 

A.  Bent  right  out.  That  is  the  ship's  side  [indicating].  The  plate  is 
bent  this  way,  and  the  rivet  comes  out  that  way,  and  so  the  plate  lies. 

Q.  Inboard  or  outboard  ? 

A.  That  is  outboard,  sir.  The  plate  goes  this  way  [indicating].  The 
lower  part  of  the  plate  is  bent  in,  and  the  upper  part  is  thrown  out. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  The  middie  of  the  plate  is  bent  in,  and  the  upper  part,  where  it  is 
fastened  to  another  plate,  is  thrown  outboard  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Let  him  tell  where  that  is.     Is  that  near  the  keel1? 

A.  I  can't  tell  how  far  it  is  from  the  keel,  sir,  because  I  can't  see 
nothing.  I  can  only  feel,  and  put  my  face  close  up  and  see  these  plates. 
I  don't  know  what  part  of  the  ship  it  is.  I  can't  even  see  the  paint,  if 
it  is  green  paint,  or  red  paint,  or  white  paint.  As  I  walk  along  for- 
ward from  aft  on  the  port  side,  there  is  nothing  left.  When  I  get 
about  20  feet  from  that  break,  there  is  nothing  left  of  the  ship  what- 
ever, out  for  30  feet  I  should  think.  Everything  is  gone  underneath 
there.  You  can  walk  from  the  bottom  right  into  the  ship,  only  you 
go  down  in  mud  about  2  feet.  There  are  lots  of  shells.  Then  when  I 
get  past  them  shells,  I  come  to  the  armor  plate.  It  is  thrown  into  the 
ship.    The  armor  lies  about  like  that  [indicating]. 

Q.  Describe  it.     When  you  say  "  like  that"  we  can  not  put  it  on  paper. 

A.  It  lies  at  an  angle. 

Q.  At  an  angle  with  the  keel? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  should  think  at  that  place  about  midship;  right  inside, 
you  know,  there  is  nothing  the  matter  with  the  plate  whatever.  I  could 
find  only  two  of  them  armor  bolts  or  screws  on  the  plate  below.  That 
is  the  only  bolt  you  can  find.  The  rest  of  them  is  so  far  down  in  the 
mud  you  can't  find  them.  I  should  think  that  plate  is  about  7  or  8 
inches  thick.  I  didn't  measure  them,  sir.  Then  forward  of  that 
plate  I  find  nothing  else  but  iron  heaped  up  all  over.  I  can't  make 
nothing  out  of  it,  sir.  They  are  bursted  in  and  bursted  out  in  all  kinds 
of  directions.  There  was  lots  of  rope  here  [indicating],  and  one  thing 
and  another.  I  believe  that  came  out  of  the  holds  way  down  below. 
There  is  no  deck  in  there,  and  nothing  whatever,  only  plates  all  torn  up. 

Q.  In  what  part  of  the  ship  should  you  say  that  bent  plate  was? 

A.  I  should  think  that  plate  is  about  10  feet  from  the  break  of  the 
superstructure. 

Q.  Forward  or  aft? 

A.  Forward. 

Q.  Then  it  was  about  abreast  of  the  forward  turret? 

A.  Somewhere  around  the  forward  turret;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Only  on  the  port  side? 

A.  Only  on  the  port  side;  yes,  sir. 

Q,  This  armor  plate,  you  say,  was  thrown  in  at  an  angle  to  the  keel. 
Is  the  edge  sticking  up? 

A.  The  edge  is  sticking  up. 

Q.  Is  the  thick  edge  or  the  thin  edge  sticking  up? 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  85 

A.  The  thick  edge. 

Q.  How  do  you  know? 

A.  If  there  is  a  top  place,  it  must  be  smaller  on  top  and  thicker 
underneath,  about  as  broad  as  that  [indicating].  I  could  feel  right 
down. 

Q.  How  many  inches  should  you  say  it  was  on  top — the  top  edge? 

A.  Seven  or  eight. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  it  was  thicker  at  the  bottom  part  or  not? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  only  felt  the  top  part? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  If  it  was  at  an  angle  to  the  keel,  one  side  must  have  been  facing 
one  of  the  quarters  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  One  was  facing  forward  and  the  other  was  facing  aft? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  was  facing  aft,  the  original  outboard  portion  or  the  origi- 
nal inboard  portion? 

A.  The  inboard  portion  is  facing  out,  sir. 

Q.  The  inboard  portion  which  has  the  nuts  on  it  is  facing  forward? 

A.  Facing  out  and  forward;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  the  smooth  side,  which  used  to  be  against  the  water,  is 
facing  how  ? 

A.  Inside,  aft  and  starboard. 

Q.  Did  you  bring  anything  up  this  time  when  you  went  down  diving? 

A.  Only  about  three  tanks  of  powder — powder  tanks. 

Q.  Describe  what  they  were,  and  what  condition  they  were  in. 

A.  They  was  all  torn  up,  mashed  together  in  that  way  [indicating]. 
Another  one  was  burst  right  out,  torn  right  in  pieces. 

Q.  Were  they  10  or  6  inch  tanks? 

A.  Ten-inch. 

Q.  You  used  to  work  at  the  10-inch  guns,  I  believe? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Your  second  descent — describe  that,  where  you  went  down  and 
what  you  did. 

A.  I  mixed  it  about  all  up,  the  second  descent  and  the  first  one. 

Q.  You  have  described  both  descents,  have  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  both  of  them. 

Q.  Did  you  approach  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship — the  forward 
turret? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  toward  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship  did  you  go  when 
you  were  down  ? 

A.  I  must  have  been,  I  should  judge,  away  over — right  where  the 
turret  ought  to  be. 

Q.  You  do  not  think  there  was  any  ship's  side  left  there? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  But  you  are  not  certain  you  went  beyond  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  anything  of  the  turret  at  all  ? 

A.  Nothing  at  all — nothing  whatever. 

Q.  Your  explorations  were  more  on  the  port  side  than  on  the  star- 
board side,  though  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  go  into  what  you  thought  to  be  the  10-inch  magazine  ? 

A.  I  felt  holes  there.  I  couldn't  say  whether  it  was  the  magazine 
or  not. 


86  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  8.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Q.  It  was  full  of  holes  there  I 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  don't  know  what  it  was.  I  found  a  heap  of  shells  there, 
and  I  found  them  all  over  there — them  shells. 

Q.  You  found  more  shells  than  powder? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  probably  got  as  far  as  the  10-inch  shell  room,  but  not  to 
starboard  of  it.  The  forward  10-inch  magazine  is  to  starboard  of  the 
shell  room  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  went  in  from  the  port  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  So,  probably,  you  did  not  go  farther  than  the  shell  room.  Do  you 
think  that  is  so? 

A.  No ;  I  walked  farther  than  that.     I  passed  them  shell. 

Q.  Did  you  strike  the  tanks'? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  tanks  you  brought  up? 

A.  I  found  them  tanks  not  very  far  from  them  10-inch  shells. 

Q.  On  top  of  them  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  on  one  side. 

Q.  Which  side? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side  of  them. 

Q.  That  must  have  been  the  magazine? 

A.  You  can't  tell  nothing.  Everything  is  only  a  piece  of  iron.  There 
is  nothing  left  at  all. 

Q.  Do  you  think  there  is  anything  of  the  forward  part  of  the  ship 
left,  forward  of  this  10-inch  shell  room? 

A.  There  is  some  plates  left  there,  all  bent  out.  You  can't  make 
out  what  it  is.     I  was  away  up  amongst  those. 

Q.  How  far  forward  do  you  think  you  got  iu  you  travels? 

A.  I  went  as  far  as  I  could.     I  couldn't  say  exactly. 

Q.  Did  you  reach  this  fixed  ammunition  room? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  did  not  strike  any  6-pounders  or  1-pounders? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  paymasters'  stores  of  any  kind? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  found  them  all  over  the  ship — canned  stuff. 

Q.  What  condition  were  the  cans  in? 

A.  I  picked  up  a  few  cans  that  were  all  right.     Some  was  busted. 

Q.  What  was  the  character  of  the  break  of  the  vegetable  cans? 

A.  They  were  torn  up.  Some  of  them  was  crushed  together  and 
some  of  them  torn  out — all  kinds  of  shapes. 

Q.  Split  open  along  the  seams? 

A.  Some  was  split  and  some  was  crushed  together. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Was  the  metal  of  the  ship,  in  a  general  way,  bent  from  port  to 
starboard  or  from  starboard  to  port,  below  the  water? 

A.  The  plates  of  the  ship,  you  mean? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  The  plates  was  bent  in  from  port  to  starboard. 

Q.  Inboard,  you  mean? 

A.  Inboard;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  From  port  to  starboard? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  anything  in  the  condition  of  the  metal  below  to  indi- 
cate that  the  10-inch  magazine  had  exploded  ? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  8? 

A.  Why,  no. 

Q.  That  is,  did  you  see  any  tendency  of  the  metal  from  starboard  to 
port  to  indicate  that  the  10  inch  magazine  had  exploded? 

A.  I  don't  understand  yon. 

Q.  Was  the  bending  of  the  metal  below — the  direction  in  which  the 
metal  was  bent— such  as  to  indicate  that  the  starboard  magazine  had 
exploded?  That  is  to  say,  did  you  see  the  metal  bent  from  starboard 
to  port? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Let  me  ask  that  question  over  again.  I  assume  that  if  the  star- 
board magazine  had  exploded,  it  would  have  shown  a  certaiu  amount 
of  the  metal  bent  from  starboard  over  to  port.  Did  you  see  metal  bent 
that  way  in  general — anything  to  indicate  it? 

A.  There  was  metal  all  around  there.     I  couldn't  say,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Then  you  did  not  notice  any  general  tendency  of  the  metal.  For 
instance,  we  will  assume  that  it  is  fastened  at  the  bottom  of  the  ship, 
unless  you  go  into  the  space  where  the  bottom  is  entirely  gone;  but 
outside  of  that,  where  the  ship  is  less  completely  destroyed,  there  must 
be  bulkheads  that  stand  up  around  there? 

A.  There  are  some. 

Q.  Suppose  it  is  fore  and  aft.  Is  it  bent  that  way,  or  is  it  bent  that 
way  [indicating]  ? 

A.  They  are  bent  in  all  directions.  Them  pieces  that  are  left  inside 
the  ship  are  bent  in  all  shapes,  sir. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  In  the  after  turret,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  first  thing  you  knew? 

A.  The  first  thing  I  knew,  I  didn't  see  nothing  else  but  flames,  and 
evervthing  come  in  the  turret,  and  the  roar  of  the  water. 

Q."  You  got  out? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  got  out. 

Q.  How? 

A.  I  am  not  certain  whether  I  come  through  the  hatch  or  the  venti- 
lator; I  don't  know. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 
Q.  Were  you  well  acquainted  with  the  compartments  of  the  Maine 
forward  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Did  you  say  you  are  well  acquainted  with  them? 

A.  Yes ;  I  know  the  compartments. 

Q.  When  you  went  down  did  you  recognize  anything  that  you  can 
describe  ? 

A.  I  couldn't  recognize  nothing,  sir.  I  know  the  compartments  well, 
and  if  I  had  seen  anything  I  could  have  recognized  them;  but  there 
was  nothing  left  to  recognize,  sir. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the 
stenogiapher  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


88  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Gunner's  Mate  W.  H.  F.  Schluter,  IT.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a 
witness  before  the  court  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are 
attached. 

A.  W.  H.  F.  Schluter,  gunner's  mate,  second  class,  serving  aboard 
the  U.  S.  S.  New  York,  lyiug  off  Key  West,  Fla. 

Q.  Have  you  been  engaged  in  diving  in  Havana  Harbor  since  the 
explosion  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir 5  I  was  down  once  for  one  hour. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  did  you  go  down  in? 

A.  I  was  lowered  down  from  the  side  a  little  forward  of  the  turret, 
which  was  broke  off.  I  was  let  down  about  6  feet  or  8  feet,  I  can't 
exactly  say  which.  I  landed  on  some  ragged  edges,  bent  inboard  from 
the  port  side  over  to  the  starboard  side.  I  crawled  then  a  little  ways, 
and  I  dropped  down  about  3  or  4  feet  farther,  and  I  landed  on  some- 
thing solid.  It  was  something  like  little  lumps  laying  along.  Then  I 
crawled  along  and  landed  on  some  coal.  The  coal  was  in  good  condi- 
tion, for  I  picked  it  up  and  looked  at  it.    Then  I  crawled  along  over 

Q.  Which  way  were  you  going? 

A.  Forward,  on  the  port  side.  Then  I  ran  against  something  that 
was  going  up.  It  looked  like  a  partition.  I  crawled  up  on  the  top  of 
that,  and  it  was  one  of  them  beams  going  down  that  was  broke  off.  I 
crawled  around  that,  and  it  was  kind  of  bulged  under  like,  inboard. 
Then  I  stood  there  a  little  while,  and  I  come  back  again  and  went  on 
the  inside  of  this  plate.  I  went  down  a  little  ways,  and  I  couldn't 
touch  no  bottom,  so  I  crawled  back  again.     That  is  as  far  as  I  went. 

Q.  You  really  recognized  nothing? 

A.  ISTo,  sir. 

Q.  You  brought  up  nothing? 

A.  I  went  after  one  of  them  haversacks.  I  found  that  right  near  the 
coal. 

Q.  Were  you  feeling  well  when  you  went  down  under  the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  felt  well.  I  am  sure  it  was  coal,  because  I  picked  it 
up  and  looked  at  it. 

Q.  Were  you  yourself  feeling  well? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  all  right? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Why  did  you  not  go  down  again? 

A.  It  was  dinner  time,  and  after  that  we  were  told  to  come  over  to 
the  court. 

Q.  You  had  just  commenced? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  what  day  did  you  go  down — yesterday? 

A.  It  was  yesterday  morning;  yes,  sir.  Most  of  the  diving  I  have 
done  in  Havana  has  been  aft  except  this  one  time  I  have  just  described. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the  ste- 
nographer, and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  89 

Gunner's  Mate  Carl  Kundquist,  U.  S.  Navy,  appsared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  My  name  is  Carl  Kundquist;  gunner's  mate,  first  class;  on  board 
U.  S.  S.  New  York. 

Q.  Have  you  been  diving  in  the  harbor  of  Havana  since  the  Maine 
exploded  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  forward? 

A.  I  have  been  down  forward. 

Q.  How  often  ? 

A.  I  have  been  down  once,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  remain  down? 

A.  I  should  judge  a  little  over  two  hours. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  aft? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Are  you  a  good  diver? 

A.  I  have  been  down  before,  sir. 

Q.  Can  you  see  well  under  water? 

A.  I  could  see  not  very  well,  but  when  I  put  my  face  close  to  an 
object  I  had  a  pretty  good  view  of  it. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  well  whilst  you  were  under  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  never  felt  bad. 

Q.  Please  describe  to  the  court  just  what  you  saw  as  to  what  was  left 
of  the  Maine,  and  any  objects  that  you  recognized;  their  condition,  or 
anything  you  may  have  brought  up.  Give  us  the  whole  history  of  your 
descent. 

A.  When  I  left  the  lighter  I  got,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  down  in  the 
after  part  of  the  10-inch  magazine,  because  when  1  came  down  I  came 
down  among  plates,  etc.  I  walked  2  or  3  feet  more,  and  I  came  across 
a  lot  of  empty  10  inch  powder  tanks.  Some  of  the  seams  were  open, 
and  others  looked  like  they  had  been  in  a  pressure  from  both  ends.  I 
sent  one  of  them  up,  and  there  was  lots  of  them  down  there. 

Q.  Just  tell  us  how  many. 

A.  I  couldn't  say  how  many,  because  I  had  to  feel  for  it,  but  there 
were  dozens  of  them — pieces  of  them  blown  in  all  directions.  I  left 
then,  and  went  aft  from  where  I  was  standing.  I  should  judge  that 
would  be  aft.  I  came  across  lots  of  cans  that  looked  like  it  was  pre- 
served stuff.  It  looked  to  be  the  paymaster's  stores  or  something,  and 
close  to  there  I  found  a  jriece  of  armor  plate.  On  one  side  of  it  was 
the  backing,  and  that  plate  looked  to  be  turned  over,  because  the  end 
I  got  hold  of  was  between  6  and  7  inches  in  thickness.  I  measured 
with  my  fingers.  I  put  the  end  of  my  thumb  on  one  edge  and  my  mid- 
dle finger  on  the  other.  It  looked  to  be  thicker  downward.  I  went 
down  as  far  as  I  could,  down  in  the  mud,  and  the  edge  of  it  was  down 
in  the  mud.  I  couldn'tfind  out  the  exact  thickness  there.  From  there  I 
went  outside.  I  went  to  the  left.  That  would  be  to  the  port  side  of 
the  ship,  and  I  followed  the  bottom  there  for  about  8  or  10  feet.  I 
know  I  was  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  because  I  could  see  the  green 

paint  on  it,  and  as  far  as  I  could  judge 

Q.  Was  this  green  paint  inside  the  ship  or  outside  the  ship? 

A.  This  was  on  the  outside  of  the  ship,  because  1  put  my  face  close 
to  it,  and  it  looked  to  be  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  because  that  must 


90  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

have  been  below  the  armor  plates,  where  the  armor  belts  go,  because 
it  was  only  the  exact  thickness  of  the  skin  of  the  ship — the  thickness 
of  a  plate.  One  side  was  pretty  rough.  It  must  have  been  inside  the 
double  bottom  or  something.  It  was  a  rough  paint,  and  the  outside 
was  slippery  and  green.  In  some  places  it  was  all  ragged.  The  pieces 
were  all  torn  ragged  and  it  looked  to  be  inward.  That  is  about  all  I 
saw  down  there,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  lowered  down;  on  the  starboard  side  of  the 
ship? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  lowered  down  about  midships,  a  little  to  the  port 
side.     We  had  a  lighter  lying  right  across  the  ship. 

Q.  You  think  you  landed  in  the  10-inch  magazine? 

A.  I  landed  close  to  it,  because  there  was  lots  of  empty  powder 
tanks. 

Q.  Of  all  those  tanks  that  were  there,  were  any  of  them  in  good 
condition  ? 

A.  None  that  I  came  across.  They  were  all  bent  over.  I  came 
across  two  or  three  of  them  that  the  seams  were  opened. 

Q.  Were  any  of  them  full  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  none  of  them  I  came  across. 

Q.  Do  you  think  they  had  been  exploded  by  a  charge  inside? 

A.  It  didn't  look  that  way,  sir,  from  where  I  was.  It  looked  like 
there  had  been  a  pressure  from  the  outside  that  opened  them  up. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  cans  of  provisions  you  found? 

A.  They  were  in  good  condition. 

Q.  Describe  a  little  more  plainly  this  hole  that  you  found.  You  say 
the  ragged  edges  were  pointing  inboard.  How  large  were  these  ragged 
edges;  how  long? 

A.  Of  the  plates? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  This  plate  I  found.  It  looked  to  be  the  whole  plate  or  the  biggest 
part  of  a  plate,  and  it  looked  like  it  had  been  torn  off  from  another 
plate,  because  there  was  only  one  side  of  it  I  found  was  raggy,  and  I 
found  a  plate  standing  in  that  direction  [indicating]. 

Q.  Describe  it. 

A.  It  was  pointing  to  port,  aft,  and  the  raggy  end,  I  found,  was  the 
upper  end.  I  landed  on  it,  and  I  slipped  down  from  it  once  and 
crawled  up  on  it  again. 

Q.  Was  that  a  plate  still  made  fast  to  the  ship's  bottom? 

A.  No,  sir;  that  was  a  plate  that  was  loose.  It  looked  to  be  turned 
completely  over. 

Q.  That  is  the  armor  plate? 

A.  The  armor  plate. 

Q.  I  am  not  speaking  of  the  armor  plate.  You  said  when  you  went 
further  along  you  found  a  place  where  the  ship's  side  had  a  hole  in  it, 
you  saw  the  green  paint;  and  you  said  the  edges  were  ragged  and 
bent  in.    I  want  you  to  describe  the  edges  a  little  better. 

A.  That  looked  to  be  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  or  a  piece  solid,  fastened 
to  the  plate. 

Q.  Was  it  a  round  hole,  or  was  it  completely  turned  up  to  the  water's 
edge? 

A.  Completely  turned  up  to  the  water's  edge. 

Q.  There  was  nothing  above  this  place? 

A.  Nothing  above  it  whatever.  It  looked  to  be  no  plates  there,  or 
anything  there. 

Q.  The  ragged  edges  were  directly  bent  inboard  ? 


DESTRUCTION    OP   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  91 

A.  Bent  inboard. 

Q.  You  are  sure  they  were  not  bent  out1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  sure. 

Q.  And  the  green  paint  you  saw  was  on  the  part  bent  inboard1? 

A.  Tbe  green  paint  was  on  the  part  bent  inboard,  that  was  coming 
on  top  like. 

Q.  About  this  piece  of  armor  plate  you  speak  of,  the  part  that  had 
the  bolts  on  it.     Which  way  was  that  facing  in  regard  to  the  ship? 

A.  That  was  facing  outboard. 

Q.  Which  way — forward  or  aft? 

A.  Facing  aft. 

Q.  Explain  fully  how  this  piece  of  armor  plate  was  lying,  and  the 
direction  of  the  keel,  and  how  the  original  outboard  side  was  facing, 
and  also  how  the  side  with  nuts  was  facing? 

A.  That  plate  was  fast  in  the  mud  so  I  couldn't  get  hold  of  the  lower 
edge  of  it.  The  top  edge,  1  should  say,  was  about  7  inches  in  thickness, 
and  that  side  of  the  plate  where  the  bolts  and  backing  was  on,  was 
facing  to  port. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Did  it  stand  that  way,  or  did  it  stand  that  way  [indicating]  ? 

A.  It  stood  the  way  it  is  on  that  drawing,  sir,  so  far  as  I  could  make 
it  out  down  there. 

Q.  How  does  that  plate  face  now  ? 

A.  The  part  of  the  plate  that  is  supposed  to  be  inboard  is  facing  out- 
board. 

Q.  That  is,  it  was  turned  clean  over? 

A.  Turned  clean  over,  sir. 

Q.  I  would  like  to  ask,  for  my  own  information,  whether  this  armor 
plate  was  inside  of  the  ship? 

A.  It  was  on  the  inside  of  the  ship;  yes,  sir.  It  was  about  half  way 
from  the  midship,  and  out  to  the  portside  of  the  ship,  half  way  inboard. 

Q.  Yet  you  say  that  it  was  not  resting  on  anything  but  the  mud? 

A.  It  was  resting  on  the  mud.  There  was  a  big  piece  of  the  ship 
there  that  was  entirely  gone.  The  bottom  of  the  ship  was  all  blown 
up.    There  was  nothing  there. 

Q.  You  speak  of  starting  from  some  point  near  these  copper  tanks 
or  powder  tanks  and  walking  toward  the  port  side,  and  you  say  you 
were  walking  on  the  bottom ;  that  you  knew  it  to  be  the  bottom  because 
it  was  painted  green  ? 

A.  I  didn't  mean  to  say  that  I  walked  on  the  ship's  bottom.  I  was 
walking  in  the  mud,  or  rather  crawling  in  the  mud,  because  in  some 
places  I  had  to  haul  myself  along.  I  was  going  alongside  the  ship's 
bottom,  on  the  piece  that  was  left  of  the  ship's  bottom.  I  know  it  was 
the  ship's  bottom  because  I  could  see  the  paint  was  green  and  slippery. 

Q.  Was  this  piece  detached  from  the  ship? 

A.  That  looked  to  be  just  on  the  edges  of  the  ship. 

Q.  You  said  you  walked  some  distance,  you  thought  about  10  feet? 

A.  About  10  feet. 

Q.  You  could  not  have  been  walking  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship.  On  the  bottom  of  the 
harbor,  in  the  mud. 

Q.  You  said  you  were  walking  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  and  you 
knew  it  to  be  so  because  it  was  painted  green  ? 

A.  I  mean  to  say  that  I  was  walking  on  the  outside  of  the  ship,  close 
to  the  ship's  bottom. 


92  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  You  were  walking  in  the  bole  where  the  ship's  bottom  ought  to 
have  been? 

A.  No,  sir;  on  the  outside  of  the  ship,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  you  come  to  go  outside  of  tbe  ship? 

A.  There  was  lots  of  wreckage  out  tbere.  I  slipped  on  from  one  piece 
to  another,  and  I  happened,  to  get  on  it  more  by  accident  than  anything 
else,  because  1  slipped  on,  and  I  landed  on  the  mud. 

Q.  How  do  you  know  you  were  outside  the  ship  when  you  landed  in 
che  mud? 

A.  I  couldn't  see  anything  around  me.  I  was  crawling  around  for  a 
couple  of  feet  on  each  side,  and  couldn't  see  anything.  It  must  have 
been  on  the  outside,  or  else  it  was  an  empty  space,  where  there  was 
nothing,  or  else  the  ship  must  be  completely  blown  away. 

Q.  That  is  the  ship'ssection  there  [indicating].     You  understand  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  understand  that. 

Q.  Were  you  out  here,  or  were  you  here  [pointing  to  outboard  and 
then  inboard],  or  where  were  you? 

A.  I  judge  I  was  somewhere  around  here  [pointing  to  the  longitudinal 
shown  on  the  midship  section],  by  the  curve  of  the  ship. 

Q.  I  thought  you  said  that  was  all  blown  away  there? 

A.  This  was  on  the  forward  part  of  it;  but  I  took  a  walk  aft  8  or  10 
feet,  somewhere  around  there — I  couldn't  say  exactly  how  far — after  I 
left  this  hole,  and  found  this  plate;  and  going  from  one  piece  of  the 
wreckage  to  another  I  came  down  in  the  mud,  and  I  was  rolling  along 
in  the  mud  when  I  happened  to  strike  my  hand  up  against  something. 
I  felt,  and  I  felt  this  green  slippery  piece  of  steel  or  something.  I  put 
my  face  close  to  the  plate  and  1  could  see  it  was  this  green  paint.  It 
must  have  been  the  outside  of  the  ship.  I  followed  that  along,  I  could 
not  say  how  far — some  8  or  10  feet — and  I  come  to  this  raggy  edge 
of  it,  and  there  at  the  edge  it  was  standing  in  this  direction,  like 
[indicating]. 

Q.  Describe  the  direction.  "This  direction"  does  not  describe  it  on 
paper. 

A.  It  looked  to  be  inboard,  bent  over — more  rolled  up  than  anything 
else,  on  the  edge  of  it. 

Q.  Was  that  all  around  the  edge? 

A.  It  was  all  around  the  edge.     It  was  all  torn. 

Q.  I  understand  it  was  torn  if  there  was  a  hole  there,  but  you  must 
be  very  careful  when  you  say  that  that  edge  of  it  was  turned  inboard. 

A.  It  looked  to  me  it  was  laying  inboard. 

Q.  How  much  of  it  did  you  examine? 

A.  I  examined  parts  of  the  edges  of  it.  This  piece  I  followed  along 
in  the  bottom,  that  looked  to  be  a  good  solid  piece  of  the  ship.  That 
must  have  been  close  to  the  hole  where  the  explosion  took  place,  because 
that  seemed  to  be  a  good  solid  piece. 

Q.  How  did  you  think  this  hole  was  made  in  the  bottom  of  the  ship? 

A.  My  opinion  is,  I  believe  that  she  was  blown  up  from  the  outside 
and  in,  because  there  was  no  explosion  from  the  inside  could  make  a 
hole  like  that,  from  the  way  them  plates  stood  around  in  different 
directions. 

Q.  Do  you  think  there  was  no  explosion  from  the  inside  that  could 
make  that  hole? 

A.  There  may  have  been  an  explosion  from  the  inside  afterwards,  but 
in  the  first  place  there  was  an  explosion  from  the  outside. 

Q.  Why  do  you  think  so? 

A.  Because  I  would  never  have  found  them  plates  in  the  way  I  did. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  93 

This  piece  of  armor  plate  and  the  edges  of  that  hole,  I  would  never 
have  found  it  that  way. 

Q.  What  strikes  me  is  this — that  you  did  not  examine  enough  of  that 
edge  to  form  an  opinion. 

A.  1  didn't  examine  all  of  it,  no;  but  I  examined  some  parts  of  it, 
and  that  part  that  I  examined  looked  like  it  had  been  bent  inboard. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the  ste- 
nographer, and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  notify  the  court  that  Ensign  Powelsonhas 
a  little  additional  testimony  to  give  this  afternoon,  and  that  besides 
him  Gunner  Morgan  and  Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  have  to  read  over  and 
correct  their  testimony.     I  have  no  other  evidence  to  offer  at  present. 

The  court  then  (at  12.50  o'clock  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  2  o'clock. 
The  court  assembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge  advocate,  the  ste- 
nographer, and  Captain  Sigsbee. 

Gunner  Morgan  here  appeared  before  the  court  and  was  handed  so 
much  of  the  record  as  contained  his  testimony.  He  was  directed  to 
withdraw,  read  it  over,  return  to  the  court  and  state  whether  it  is  cor- 
rect as  recorded. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  If  the  court  please,  I  ask  permission  to  intro- 
duce Mr.  Henry  Drain,  clerk  at  the  United  States  consulate  in  Havana, 
and  have  him  sworn,  to  act  as  interpreter. 

Mr.  Henry  Drain,  by  permission  of  the  court,  was  duly  sworn  by  tho 
judge-advocate,  in  accordance  with  the  United  States  Navy  regulations, 
and  took  his  seat  as  interpreter  of  the  court. 

A  witness  then  appeared  before  the  court,  whose  name  and  address 
are  suppressed  by  agreement  with  the  witness  that  his  identity  should 
not  be  revealed,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president,  through  the  inter- 
preter. 

Examined  by  Judge-Advocate  (through  the  interpreter) : 
Q.  I  have  heard  that  on  Tuesday  morning  you  overheard  a  certain 
conversation  in  a  ferryboat  which  referred  to  the  possible  sinking  of 
the  Maine.    Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  all  you  can  in  regard  to 
that  matter? 

The  Interpreter.  At  about  half-past  7  on  the  morning  of  the  15th, 
he  was  crossing  from  Havana  to  Reg  las.  He  was  sitting  on  a  front 
seat  in  the  bow  of  the  vessel — the  ferryboat.  There  were,  about  4  feet 
distant,  three  officers,  two  of  the  army  aud  one  of  the  navy,  of  Spain, 
and  besides  a  citizen,  a  stout  man,  about  fifty  years  of  age.  They  were 
conversing  about  the  Maine.  He  says  one  of  the  army  officers  said  that 
in  the  circulio  militario,  the  military  club  here  on  the  Prado,  "That  is 
nearly  arranged."  The  citizen  inquired:  "Will  not  making  explosions 
in  the  bay  run  great  risk  to  the  city  of  Havana?"  The  citizen  inquired 
that  from  the  Spanish  officer  who  had  made  the  first  remark.  He  says 
that  the  officer  replied  "no;"  that  it  was  arranged  so  that  it  would  sim- 
ply explode,  open  the  vessel,  and  she  would  sink  immediately.  Then  the 
other  man,  with  an  exclamation  apparently  of  joy,  said:  "I  will  take 
plenty  of  beer  on  that  occasion."    At  that  moment  a  cartman  came 


94  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE/' 

forward  and  one  of  the  men  touched  the  other  and  stopped  the  con- 
versation, and  then  he  could  not  hear  any  more.  He  said  they  kept  on 
speaking,  but  he  did  not  hear  any  more. 

Q.  What  was  the  first  remark  made  by  the  army  officer1? 

The  Interpreter.  That  he  had  heard  in  the  circulio  militario  that 
the  plans  were  all  arranged,  and  they  were  going  to  blow  her  up  any- 
how ;  that  it  was  a  shame  to  Spain  that  she  should  be  here  in  the  bay. 
The  lieutenant  said :  "  Then  if  you  blow  her  up,  there  would  be  another 
one  come,"  and  the  superior  officer  said:  "They  would  take  care  not  to 
send  another." 

Q.  Did  the  second  army  officer  make  any  other  remark? 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  yes;  they  were  all  speaking,  but  they 
were  speaking  in  a  low  voice;  he  could  not  catch  all  they  said.  He 
was  standing  up,  close  to  the  wall,  so  that  they  would  not  notice  he 
was  listening  to  them. 

Q.  Could  you  distinguish  what  the  navy  officer  said1? 

The  Interpreter.    No  ;  he  could  not. 

Q.  Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  any  one  of  these  four  persons  ? 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  that  he  does  not  know  any  of  them. 
He  could  not  recognize  any  of  the  three  officers,  but  that  very  prob- 
ably he  could  recognize  the  citizen. 

Q.  How  often  do  you  cross  in  the  ferry  from  Havana  to  Eeglas? 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  in  those  days  he  crossed  twice,  in  the 
morning  and  in  the  afternoon,  but  now  he  only  crosses  in  the  after- 
noon, there  and  back  again;  that  he  went  at  half  past  7  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  would  return  at  10  to  breakfast;  that  he  would  go  at  4  or  5 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  back  to  Eeglas  again;  and  that  about  9  or 
half  past  9  or  10  o'clock  in  the  evening  he  would  return  to  Havana. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  meet  any  of  these  four  men  before  on  the  ferryboat? 

The  Interpreter.  He  can  not  say,  because  he  had  never  noticed 
them.     He  went  every  day,  and  he  did  not  notice  them. 

Q.  What  was  the  character  of  the  uniform  of  the  army  officers? 

The  Interpreter.  One  was  a  lieutenant,  and  the  other  one  had 
stars  down  below  the  stripes.  He  had  two  stripes,  which  would  indi- 
cate that  he  was  from  a  major  upward.  He  also  had  a  belt — that 
would  indicate  that  he  is  of  the  general's  staff. 

Q.  What  was  the  color  of  the  uniform? 

The  Interpreter.  All  of  that  little  stripe  that  they  wear  here. 

Q.  Blue  linen? 

The  Interpreter.  Yes;  blue  linen.  The  marine  officer  was  dressed 
in  dark  blue,  but  he  did  not  notice  the  iusignias  that  he  had  on  at  all. 

Q.  Which  one  of  the  army  officers  made  the  remark  you  spoke 
about — the  staff*  officer  or  the  lieutenant? 

The  Interpreter.  The  staff  officer.    He  spoke  with  the  citizen. 

Q.  What  was  that  you  said  about  a  diamond? 

The  Interpreter.  The  citizen  had  on  a  big  diamond  ring. 

Q.  Please  describe  the  citizen. 

The  Interpreter.  He  was  a  large,  stout  man,  about  50  years  of 
age.  He  had  a  mustache  only,  somewhat  gray.  He  used  one  of  these 
black  derby  hats,  and  dark  clothes. 

Q.  Can  you  describe  the  staff  officer  a  little  more  fully,  his  age  and 
appearance? 

The  Interpreter.  Somewhere  around  about  the  same  age,  about 
50  years  of  age.  He  did  not  notice  very  well,  but  he  thinks  he  used 
chin  whiskers. 

Q.  And  the  lieutenant? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  95 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  lie  must  be  about  40  or  42  years  of  age, 
and  used  a  mustache. 

Q.  And  the  naval  officer  ? 

The  Interpreter.  He  was  over  40. 

Q.  Did  they  wear  swords'? 

The  Interpreter.  None  of  them  used  swords. 

Q.  Would  you  be  able  to  recognize  these  persons  again1? 

The  Interpreter.  He  sticks  to  the  same  thing,  that  the  officers  he 
could  not  recognize,  because  he  did  not  pay  much  attention,  that  the 
thing  went  out  of  his  head  afterwards;  but  he  thinks  he  would  recog- 
nize the  citizen.  He  says  there  are  a  great  many  officers  crossing  con- 
tinually. 

Q.  Are  you  quite  positive  of  the  conversation  you  have  repeated1? 

The  Interpreter.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  object  did  you  have  in  informing  the  consul-general  of  this 
conversation  ? 

The  Interpreter.  The  substance  of  what  he  says  is  that  he  was 
talking  with  a  friend  of  his  in  the  Cafe  San  Nicholas  after  this  occur- 
rence, and  he  told  him  all  the  conversation  he  had  heard.  The  friend 
told  him:  "Why  don't  you  go  and  say  something  about  this  to  the  con- 
sulate?" He  says  he  was  afraid  to  say  anything  about  it,  that  he  would 
get  himself  into  trouble.  The  friend  said:  "I  will  go  and  inquire  from 
some  of  these  newspapers — the  Journal  or  the  World — and  see  if  there 
is  any  danger  in  it."  The  friend  went  and  inquired,  and  said  there 
would  be  no  danger  whatever,  and  he  then  determined  to  tell  the  consul. 

Q.  Did  you  go  to  the  consul  at  all? 

The  Interpreter.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  name  of  the  friend  you  spoke  to? 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  he  will  find  out  the  name ;  that  he  is  one 
of  these  friends  whom  you  know  without  knowing  who  they  are.  He 
will  find  out  the  name.     He  sees  him  every  day. 

Q.  Is  he  a  Spaniard? 

The  Interpreter.  He  is  a  Cuban. 

Q.  Are  you  a  married  man  ? 

The  Interpreter.  No,  sir;  single. 

Q.  Have  you  any  family  here? 

The  Interpreter.  He  says  he  and  his  father  are  here,  and  he  has 
been  living  eighteen  years  with  a  woman,  but  he  is  not  married  to  her. 

Q.  How  many  people  were  on  board  the  ferryboat  at  the  time  of  this 
conversation?  State  about  how  many;  whether  it  was  crowded  or  not 
crowded  is  the  main  issue. 

The  Interpreter.  Very  few,  and  nearly  all  were  in  the  after  part 
It  was  somewhat  cool,  and  there  were  very  few  people. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  through  the  interpreter,  and 
by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president, 
through  the  interpreter,  not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to 
the  inquiry,  and  after  saying  that  it  was  not  to  his  interest  to  converse 
with  anybody  about  it. 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Olsen,  I  now  hand  you  so  much  of  the 
record  of  the  court  as  contains  the  testimony  given  by  you.  Please 
withdraw,  read  it  over,  and  then  return  to  the  court  and  state  whether 
it  is  correct  as  recorded,  or  whether  you  desire  to  make  any  corrections. 

The  witness  then  withdrew. 


96      DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Gunner  Morgan  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Gunner  Morgan,  have  you  read  over  the 
testimony  given  by  you  before  this  court  on  yesterday? 

Gunner  Morgan.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  in  the  smooth 
record1? 

Gunner  Morgan.  It  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after , being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Ensign  Powleson,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  witness  heretofore  examined,  was 
recalled  to  the  witness  stand,  and,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  presi 
dent  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding,  testified 
as  follows: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  any  further  information  to  give  to  the  court  in  regard 
to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Please  state  what  you  have. 

A.  May  I  refer  to  some  drawings  that  I  have  brought  with  me? 

Q.  Certainly. 

A.  These  are  the  blue  prints  of  the  drainage  system  of  the  Maine, 
taken  from  the  wreck.  I  have  succeeded  in  identifying  the  part  of 
the  protective  deck  of  which  I  submitted  a  sketch  yesterday  or  the 
day  before.  This  is  a  plan  of  the  protective  deck  of  the  Maine.  The 
frame  spaces  aft  of  frame  18  are  4  feet;  forward  of  frame  18  they  are 
3  feet  6  inches;  forward  of  frame  12  they  are  3  feet.  This  is  drawn 
to  the  scale  of  1  inch  equals  1  foot.  These  frame  spaces  in  between 
frames  18  and  12  are  3£  feet;  those  aft  of  frame  18,  as  I  said,  are  4  feet. 
In  the  sketch  which  I  have  submitted  the  distance  between  beams  I 
have  made  3  feet  7  inches,  which  was  the  measurement  that  I  took 
from  the  wreck.  That  was  probably  an  error  of  an  inch.  That,  then, 
places  this  part  of  the  protective  deck  somewhere  between  frame  18 
and  frame  12.  At  frame  16  is  a  water-tight  bulkhead  and  at  frame  18 
is  a  water-tight  bulkhead.  The  surface  of  this  plate  submitted  shows 
no  evidence  of  bulkhead  angle  iron  on  the  upper  surface.  This,  then, 
eliminates  the  space  between  frames  18  and  16.  Therefore  the  plate  is 
somewhere  between  16  and  13. 

As  you  will  see,  the  outward  plate  of  the  protective  deck  is  cut  off 
a  little  on  one  point.  The  width  of  the  plates  of  the  protective  deck 
is  4  feet.  The  width  of  the  ship  at  frame  13  is  12  feet  9  nine  inches. 
Then,  if  the  edge  of  the  protective-deck  plating  at  the  midship  line 
were  exactly  at  the  midship  line,  this  would  take  three  full  plates  with 
9  inches  left  over.  Between  the  upper  plating  of  the  two  plates  of 
the  protective  deck  and  the  side  is  an  angle  iron,  running  along  the 
side  with  4-inch  flange.  That  would  leave,  then,  a  space  of  about  5 
inches  to  be  filled  in  by  a  wedge-shaped  piece.  It  is  not  probable  that 
the  edge  of  the  upper  plating  of  the  protective  deck  is  exactly  at  the 
midship  line.  It  is  probable  that  it  is  to  one  side  or  the  other,  to  allow 
for  the  lapping  of  the  upper  plating  on  the  lower  plating.  This  frame 
13  corresponds  more  closely  with  the  drawing  measurements  taken 
from  the  wreck  than  would  frame  14.  Since  these  two  frames  are  con- 
fined to  frames  15,  14,  and  13,  that  narrows  the  deck  down  to  the  parts 
between  15  and  12  along  the  port  side  compartment  A36.  This  plate, 
which  I  have  shown  in  the  sketch  I  submitted  yesterday,  shows  the 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  97 

rivets  for  the  cofferdam  bulkhead.  My  conclusion  is  that  the  sketch 
which  I  have  shown  comes  from  compartment  A36,  between  frames  15 
and  12. 

Q.  What  is  there  in  the  ship  above  compartment  A36  between  frames 
12  and  15? 

A.  A3P>  is  the  cellulose  compartment,  and  just  inside  of  that  is  A34. 
This  is  part  of  A34.     This  plate  is  taken  from  both  A36  and  A34. 

Q.  Then  that  would  be  forward  of  the  forward  C  inch  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  also  succeeded  in  identifying  a  part  of  the  bot- 
tom plating,  which  is  now  about  4  feet  above  water,  12  feet  abaft  the 
piece  of  protective  deck  which  I  have  just  referred  to. 

Q.  That  is  over  the  magazine,  is  it? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  will  explain  where  that  plate  comes  from  and  my  reasons 
for  believing  so.  This  plate  shows  the  split  in  the  reverse,  and  the 
frame  angle  irons,  where  the  floor  plating  first  begins  at  the  ship's  side. 
It  also  shows  a  water-tight  longitudinal  with  the  cement  along  the 
bottom  and  a  part  of  the  inner  bottom  plating.  The  distance  between 
the  frame  that  is  highest  out  of  water  and  the  frame  next  below  it  is 
3  feet  6  inches.  The  distance  between  this  frame  and  the  one  next 
below  that  is  4  feet.  There  is  only  one  place  in  the  ship  at  which  such 
frame  spacing  occurs.  That  is  at  bulkhead  18,  the  space  between  18 
and  19  being  4  feet  and  between  18  and  17  being  3  feet  6  inches.  Be- 
tween frames  18  and  17  I  found  a  sluice  valve  about  3  inches  square. 
This  sluice  valve  is  on  the  under  side  of  the  water-tight  longitudinal. 
The  longitudinal  at  this  point  was  about  17£  inches  in  depth.  From 
the  drawings  of  the  inner  bottom  of  the  Maine,  1  locate  this  sluice  valve 
at  the  second  longitudinal,  near  the  water-tight  bulkhead  at  frame  18. 
This  drawing  which  I  have  does  not  show  a  sluice  valve  it  that  point, 
nor  does  it  show  that  the  second  longitudinal  is  water-tight. 

There  has  evidently  been  some  change  since  these  plans,  and  the 
second  longitudinal  has  been  made  water-tight,  and  a  sluice  valve  has 
been  put  in  the  after  part  of  it  next  to  the  bulkhead  at  frame  18,  to 
drain  from  compartment  All.  Frame  17  shows  about  5  feet  above 
the  water-tight  longitudinal  to  which  I  have  referred  at  the  point  where 
the  frame  and  reverse  angle  irons  divide  and  the  floor  plates  are  first 
inserted.  That  can  be  seen  better  on  the  sectional  plan  at  frame  18. 
This  is  the  sectional  plan  at  frame  18.  Here  is  the  second  longitudinal 
at  which  I  fixed  the  sluice  valve  to  which  I  have  referred.  The  height 
of  the  second  longitudinal  at  this  point  is  18  inches,  which  corresponds 
very  closely  with  the  measurement  taken  from  the  wreck.  In  this  piece 
of  bottom  plating,  to  which  the  longitudinal  was  attached,  I  found  an 
opening  in  the  ship's  side,  being  the  Kingston  valve  or  a  similar  valve. 
The  inner  bottom  drawings  show  such  a  valve  to  exist  in  that  compart- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  flushing  the  main  drains  and  secondary  drains 
at  this  point.  The  plates  of  the  inner  bottom  are  plainly  visible  for  a 
distance  of  8  feet  from  the  longitudinal  to  which  I  have  referred  and 
about  two  or  three  feet  under  water.  Forward  of  frame  17  the  outside 
plating  has  been  again  split,  forming  a  V,  with  the  outboard  wing  of 
higher  plating  than  the  starboard  or  inboard  wing. 

The  angle  of  the  V  is  about  horizontal,  and  the  ridge  stands  nearly 
fore  and  aft.  The  plating  just  abaft  this  V  seems  to  have  been  broken 
across  and  pushed  up  to  form  a  V,  of  which  frame  17  is  the  apex.  This 
shows  that  the  bottom  plating,  about  11  feet  from  the  keel,  has  been 
raised  to  a  point  about  4  feet  out  of  water  now.  This  bottom  to  which 
I  referred  is  almost  directly  under  the  forward  port  edge  of  the  for- 
ward 6-inch  magazine. 
S.  Doc.  207 7 


98      DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  The  forward  edge  of  it  comes  to  frame  18? 
A.  The  forward  edge  of  it  stops  at  frame  18. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Where  is  that  sluice  valve  situated — also  uuder  the  forward  part 
of  the  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  at  frame  18. 

Q.  That  forward  6-inch  magazine  is  between  what  frames? 

A.  Between  frames  18  and  21.  There  are  several  other  sluice  valves 
in  the  longitudinals  of  the  double  bottoms,  but  with  the  exception  of 
sluice  valve  No.  4,  are  in  frame  spaces  of  4  feet.  All  other  sluice  valves 
in  t-he  longitudinals,  according  to  the  drawings,  are  in  frame  spaces  of 
4  feet,  showing  that  this  sluice  valve  is  forward  of  frame  18.  The  only 
other  water-tight  bulkhead  forward  of  frame  18  is  at  frame  12,  and  in 
the  space  forward  of  frame  12  there  are  no  water-tight  longitudinals. 

Q.  Then  the  appearance  of  that  V-shape  that  you  saw,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  plate,  now  makes  you  feel  convinced  that  the  bottom 
of  the  ship  was  thrown  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  not  out? 

A.  Not  out. 

Q.  This  is  under  the  forward  part  of  the  forward  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  have  seen  no  other  bottom  plating  as  yet  to  confirm  this? 

A.  This  bottom  plating  is  very  large  in  extent.  It  extends  down 
under  the  water  on  both  sides  from  the  angle  of  the  V  as  far  as  I  could 
touch  with  an  oar  or  boat  hook.  I  took  one  of  the  divers  over  this 
afternoon  and  explained  to  him  what  I  wanted  him  to  do.  I  wanted 
him  to  go  down  and  follow  the  frames  along  as  far  as  possible,  aud 
follow  the  longitudinals  and  keep  track  of  them,  so  that  he  could  tell 
me  at  what  point  the  bottom  plate  ended,  and  the  condition  of  the 
break  at  that  point. 

Q.  Who  was  the  diver? 

A.  The  diver's  name  is  Olsen. 

Q.  Can  you  state  the  amount  of  ship's  bottom  that  is  now  visible 
and  between  what  frames? 

A.  I  can  see  now  frames  16,  17,  18,  19.  I  can  see  water-tight  longi- 
tudinal No.  2,  port.  I  can  feel  with  the  boat  hook  longitudinal  No.  1. 
I  can  see  plating  running  down  under  the  water  for  about  15  feet  aft 
of  frame  17  and  20  feet  forward  of  frame  17. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  All  on  the  port  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  center  line  of  the  ship  do  you  place  the  upper 
plate  of  the  bottom  plates  now  showing  above  the  water,  which  is  bent 
into  this  V  form  ? 

A.  The  upper  plate  is  between  11  and  15  feet  from  the  center  line  of 
the  ship. 

Q.  You  mean  that  is  the  highest  point? 

A.  The  highest  point;  the  upper  plate. 

Q.  Taking  the  section,  at  what  depth  would  that  be? 

A.  Six  and  a  quarter  feet,  sir,  above  the  plane  of  the  keel. 

Q.  How  much  has  that  been  raised;  that  is,  according  to  the  draft  of 
the  ship  before  the  explosion  ? 

A.  The  forecastle  superstructure  would  be  about  at  the  water  now — 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  99 

about  where  the  water  line  is  now — so  that  it  would  have  been  lifted 
about  38  or  39  feet  from  its  original  position  when  the  ship  was  floating. 

Q.  Was  there  any  paint  on  the  outside  of  that  bottom  plating? 

A.  The  outside  of  the  bottom  plating  is  covered  with  greenish  paint. 
Inside,  between  frames  17  and  18,  it  is  cemented  for  a  distance  of  18 
inches  above  the  longitudinal.  It  is  calk  paint  beyond  that.  Abaft 
frame  18  it  is  cemented  as  far  as  the  plate  extends  to  the  points  broken 
off,  about  4  feet  from  the  longitudinal.  I  also  found  between  frames  18 
and  19  a  piece  of  piping,  with  two  right-angle  turns,  such  as  is  repre- 
sented on  the  drawing  of  the  inner  bottom  at  compartment  A10. 
Compartment  A4  contained  piping  of  this  description.  This  piping 
showed  the  caps  at  right  angles,  the  same  as  shown  here,  and  I  found 
this  piece  of  piping  lying  in  an  angle  of  one  of  the  frames  and  the 
longitudinal. 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  you  have  not  come  across  any  portion  except  that 
protective  deck  of  either  of  the  decks  above  that  point,  have  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir  ■  there  is  a  part  of  the  berth  deck  which  was  thrown  some 
20  feet  forward  of  the  part  of  the  protective  deck  of  which  I  have  made 
a  sketch;  but  as  to  just  where  that  was  on  the  berth  deck  I  am  unable 
to  determine.    It  has  the  planking  and  red  shellac  of  the  main  deck. 

Q.  Is  there  any  of  the  main  deck  visible? 

A.  No,  sir;  none  of  the  main  deck  is  visible  forward. 

Q.  None  of  the  main  deck  is  visible  forward  of  the  end  of  the  midship 
superstructure  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Forward  of  frame  30? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Starting  from  the  point  at  which  this  bottom  has  been  lifted,  frame 
11,  and  running  aft  to  the  points  where  the  divers  have  testified  that 
the  bottom  plating  is  cut  through  to  the  after  side  of  that  opening,  how 
many  frames  are  there?     What  is  the  distance? 

A.  The  frame  which  I  said  formed  the  apex  of  this  V  ? 
!     Q.  Yes. 

A.  I  do  not  know,  of  course,  what  they  testified  to.  I  only  know 
what  they  tell  me.  The  diver  to-day  told  me  that  he  had  found  a  hole 
just  starboard  of  that  plate  I  was  speaking  of,  down  below — a  hole 
through  the  ship's  side;  and  that  is  what  I  sent  him  down  to  investi- 
gate still  further.  He  bent  a  line  on  some  plating  around  this  hole.  I 
think  myself  this  plating  on  the  port  side  was  torn  from  that  on  the 
starboard.  The  diver  told  me  this  morning  that  he  had  found  the 
ammunition  from  the  6-pounder  magazine  pushed  over  to  the  starboard 
side. 

Q.  Was  that  Olsen? 
i     A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  be  not  read  over  to 
the  witness  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to  report  to-mor- 
row morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with  so  much  of 
the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw  for  the 
consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will  be 
again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend  his 
testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 

The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness'was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  trial. 


100     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

GunDers  Mate  Olsen  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Olsen,  do  you  wish  to  make  any  corrections 
in  your  testimony?  ,, 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen.  J>wish  to  make  the  following  corrections : 

On  page  140,  line  14,  after^the  word  "  right"  strike  out  "  over  in  that 
direction  [indicating] "  and  insert  "  over  to  starboard." 

On  page  141,  line  5,  after  the  words,  "paper  inboard,"  strike  out 
"from  stem  to  stern."  In  line  7,  after  "one  plate  complete,"  strike  out 
"the  top  of  the  plate  standing  up."  In  line  17,  after  "hexagonal,"  strike 
out  "ends"  and  insert  "nuts."  In  line  27,  after  the  words  "10-mch," 
strike  out  "leaves"  and  insert  "covers,"  so  as  to  read  "10-inch  covers." 
In  line  28,  after  the  word  "in,"  at  the  beginning  of  the  line,  strike  out 
"by"  and  insert  "over,"  so  as  to  read  "in  over  the  10-inch  shell  room." 

On  page  148,  line  19,  after  the  words  "the  way  I  found  the,"  strike 
out  "deck"  and  insert  "wreck." 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  your  testimony,  as  now  amended,  cor- 
rect ? 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen.  Yes,  sir. 

The  court  then  (at  4.40  o'clock  p.  m.)  adjourned  until  to-morrow,  the 
26th  instant,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


SIXTH  DAY. 


U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  10  a.  m.  Saturday,  February  26,  1898. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday,  the  25th 
instant. 

Present :  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

Captain  Sigsbee  had  not  yet  appeared. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday,  the  fifth  day  of  the 
inquiry,  was  read  and  approved. 

The  court  then  took  a  recess,  ready  to  assemble  at  any  moment  when 
any  additional  evidence  might  be  ready  to  be  presented  to  the  court. 

The  court  (at  12  o'clock  noon)  took  a  recess  until  1.30  o'clock  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  the  ste- 
nographer, and  Captain  Sigsbee. 

Mr.  Henry  Drain,  who  acted  as  interpreter  before  the  court  yes- 
terday, appeared  as  a  witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by 
the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  give  your  name,  residence,  and  profession. 

A.  Henry  Drain,  91  San  Lazero  street,  Havana;  clerk  in  the  United 
States  consulate  at  Havana. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  an  anonymus  letter  received  by  the  consul-gen- 
eral in  regard  to  the  explosion  of  the  M.aine% 

A.  I  do. 

Q.  Can  you  produce  it? 

A.  I  can.     [Witness  produces  letter.] 

Q.  What  is  the  date? 

A.  February  18,1898. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  101 

Q.  Is  there  any  signature  to  it? 

A.  No  signature.    It  is  signed  "An  admirer." 

Q.  Have  you  read  the  letter? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  Is  it  the  document  of  an  educated  man? 

A.  I  would  say  a  man  of  common  education,  as  far  as  I  can  judge. 

Q.  In  what  language  is  it  written? 

A.  In  Spanish. 

(The  letter  was  shown  to  the  court.) 

Q.  Have  you  made  a  correct  translation  of  this  letter? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  ability,  I  have. 

Q.  Please  produce  the  translation. 

(The  translation  of  the  letter  referred  to  was  handed  to  the  judge- 
advocate,  and  by  him  read  aloud.) 

The  Judge-Advocate.  If  the  court  please,  I  ask  permission  to 
append  this  letter  to  the  record. 

(The  request  was  granted,  and  said  letter  is  appended  hereto, 
marked  F.) 

Q.  Has  anything  been  done  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  the  statements 
contained  in  this  letter? 

A.  I  myself  tried  to  discover  the  whereabouts  of  this  Pepe  Taco, 
and  the  one  to  whom  I  spoke  said  that  the  name  was  a  mistake;  that 
the  Pepe  Taco  mentioned  had  died  a  few  days  before  the  explosion  of 
the  Maine,  and  that  the  letter  referred  to  a  Pepe  Barquin;  that  he  also 
had  died  suddenly  about  two  or  three  days  after  the  explosion  of  the 
Maine. 

Q.  Who  was  your  informant? 

A.  Mr.  Charles  Carbon  ell. 

Q.  How  do  you  suppose  he  knows  so  much  about  this? 

A.  In  the  first  place,  he  is  an  American  citizen,  and  interested  in 
anything  that  pertains  to  the  matter.  I  think  he  brought  to  General 
Lee's  attention  the  clipping  from  La  Lucha,  and  this  letter.  He  told 
me  that  his  boatman  gave  him  the  information  of  the  death  of  this 
man.     His  boatman  lives  in  Reglas. 

Q.  Did  you  ask  General  Lee  to  look  into  this  matter? 

A.  I  did,  and  he  did  not  know  just  what  to  do,  saying  he  has  no  secret- 
service  money;  but  he  told  me  to  consult  with  Mr.  Carbon  ell,  who 
would  probably  know  more  about  it  than  anybody  else. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  Mr.  Carbonell  a  perfectly  reliable  man? 

A.  I  do,  from  having  known  him  several  years. 

Q.  Could  it  not  be  ascertained  whether  this  dead  man's  family  have 
really  moved  from  a  poorhouse  into  a  good  one  ? 

A.  I  think  it  could. 

Q.  Will  you  kindly  have  it  tried? 

A.  I  will  try.  I  was  consulting  with  him  yesterday  afternoon.  He 
said  he  would  send  his  boatman  to  see  about  it.  I  think  it  would  be 
better  to  send  some  reliable  person. 

Q.  I  suppose  you  informed  Consul-General  Lee  that  the  court  would 
be  glad  to  have  the  matter  of  the  letter  investigated? 

A.  I  did. 

The  witness  here  stated  that  in  the  evidence  given  by  witness  of 
previous  day  the  latter  spoke  of  a  man  whom  he  had  consulted  in 
regard  to  giving  the  evidence  which  he  gave  before  the  court.  The 
witness  now  states  that  man's  name  to  be  Aurelio  Pla. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  Do  you  know  anything  of  this  Aurelio  Pla? 


102  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  I  never  heard  of  him,  sir. 

Q.  Who  told  you  it  was  Aurelio  Pla? 

A.  The  witness  himself  came  up  to  the  consulate  this  morning. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the  ste- 
nographer, and  by  him  pronounced  correct.  The  witness  then  withdrew, 
after  neing  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  converse  about  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  I  ask  that  Captain  Sigsbee  take  the  stand. 

Oapt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  U.  S.  Navy,  heretofore  examined  as  a 
witness,  resumed  the  stand,  and  was  cautioned  by  the  president  that 
the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding. 

Examined  by  the'JuDGE- Advocate  : 

Q.  I  have  a  letter  here,  Captain  Sigsbee,  which  was  sent  to  me  by 
the  chief  constructor  of  the  Navy,  which  purports  to  be  a  copy  of  a 
letter  sent  by  you,  dated  June  30, 1897,  at  Hampton  Eoads,  to  the  com- 
mandant of  the  navy-yard  and  station  at  Norfolk.  I  will  read  this 
letter  to  you. 

(The  judge  advocate  then  read  aloud  the  letter  above  referred  to.) 

Q.  As  far  as  you  can  remember,  you  think  this  is  a  correct  copy  of 
your  letter  ? 

A.  I  think  so. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  ask  permission  of  the  court  to  append  this 
letter  to  the  record. 

Permission  was  granted,  and  the  letter  above  referred  to  is  hereto 
appended,  marked  "G." 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  changes  do  you  know  of  having  been  been  made  in  the 
storage  rooms  of  the  Maine  and  the  shell  rooms  of  the  Maine,  as  stated 
in  this  letter,  from  June  30, 1897,  up  to  the  time  of  her  explosion? 

A.  I  could  not  give  it  in  figures.  I  think  there  has  been  consider- 
able change  in  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine  forward,  because  we 
have  done  a  good  deal  of  saluting.  I  had  so  many  figures  to  remember 
that  I  could  not  tell  exactly.  I  want  to  see  first  how  many  shell  there 
were.  (After  examination.)  I  think  there  were  several  more  shell 
stowed  in  the  forward  10-inch  loading  room  and  forward  10-inch  pass- 
ing room.  A  great  deal  of  the  small-arm  ammunition  shown  in  the 
forward  fixed-ammunition  room  had  been  discharged,  sent  on  shore,  on 
the  acquisition  of  the  new  navy  rifle.  We  had  just  gotten  in,  before  leav- 
ing Key  West,  a  new  supply  of  the«new  ammunition.  I  have  forgotten 
whether  it  was  our  complete  supply.  It  came  at  a  time  when  I  was 
exceedingly  busy,  looking  forward  to  coming  to  Havana. 

(Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  here  entered  the  court.) 

The  Witness.  I  know  we  had  6,000  rounds  before  we  got  the  last 
supply.  Mr.  Holman  could  state  the  exact  amount  of  that.  Although 
we  had  had  target  firing  after  this  letter  was  written,  we  had  practically 
filled  up  again  on  going  to  Norfolk  the  last  time;  so  that  I  take  it, 
except  perhaps  in  regard  to  stuff  stowed  in  the  6  inch  reserve  magazine 
forward  and  in  the  fixed  ammunition  room  forward,  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion  the  state  of  things  was  practically  as  shown  in  that  letter. 

Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  additional  charges  for  the  new  rifle 
were  stowed  when  they  were  received  on  board ;  in  the  forward  or  in 
the  after  fixed  ammunition  room? 

A.  My  impression  is  that  they  were  stowed  forward. 

Q.  You  spoke  of  the  changes  in  the  0-inch  reserve  magazine,  and 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  103 

then  you  spoke  of  saluting.  The  changes  you  refer  to  apply  to  saluting 
powder  f 

A.  Chiefly;  but  I  have  also  understood  that  there  was  very  little  left 
in  that  magazine.  It  was  probably  put  in  other  places — in  the  regular 
6-inch. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  when  the  last  changes  were  made  in  your  mag- 
azines, taking  powder  out  of  the  reserve  and  stowing  them  in  the  reg- 
ular magazines'? 

A.  No ;  I  do  not  remember.  It  was  probably  referred  to  me  at  the 
time.  It  undoubtedly  was,  but  I  can  not  now  recall.  I  suppose  three 
months  ago  I  visited  all  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms,  personally,  and 
inspected  them,  going  over  every  one  and  examining  them  in  detail, 
but  I  have  not  the  happy  faculty  of  remembering  details  and  figures,  p 

Q.  In  a  part  of  your  letter  here,  you  speak  of  the  after  torpedo  head 
and  fixed-ammunition  room.    Are  those  one  compartment"? 

A.  No. 

Q.  The  torpedo  heads  are  stowed  in  a  different  compartment  from 
the  fixed  ammunition  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Forward  of  it? 

A.  Yes ;  it  is  forward  of  it. 

Q.  When  you  wrote  this  letter  you  gave  a  statement  of  all  the 
ammunition  that  was  in  the  different  compartments,  and  there  is  no 
statement  of  high  explosives  or  gun  cotton,  or  detonators,  or  any  other 
material  which  the  regulations  prohibit  from  being  in  magazines  and 
shell  rooms.  None  of  that  material  is  mentioned  in  this  letter.  In 
that  respect  the  letter  is  correct? 

A.  The  letter  is  correct. 

Q.  Was  that  also  the  state  of  affairs  in  regard  to  such  material  on 
the  day  of  the  explosion? 

A.  It  was. 

Q.  You  are  quite  certain  that  no  torpedo  warhead  was  fitted  to  a 
torpedo  on  board  the  Maine  the  day  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  am  certain  I  gave  no  order  to  fit  them,  and  it  was  well  known 
to  the  executive  officer  that  I  did  not  intend  to  fit  them. 

Q.  Bid  you  enter  the  harbor  of  Havana  with  a  torpedo  warhead 
fixed? 

A.  No. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Did  you,  at  any  time  subsequent  to  your  entry  of  the  harbor,  have 
the  warheads  on  any  of  the  torpedoes? 

A.  The  warheads  have  not  been  disturbed  in  any  respect  since  I  have 
had  command  of  the  ship. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the 
stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  left  the  witness  stand  and  resumed  his  seat  in  the 
court  room. 

Lieut.  Commander  Kichard  Wainwrtght,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  witness 
heretofore  examined,  resumed  the  witness  stand,  and  was  cautioned  by 
the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  I  believe,  Mr.  Wainwright,  that  you  were  on  board  the  Maine  all 
the  time  during  her  last  stay  in  Havana? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


104     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  whole  day  on  the  evening  of  which  the 
explosion  occurred  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Are  you  certain  that  no  warheads  were  fitted  to  the  torpedoes  of 
the  Maine  on  that  day? 

A.  I  am  positive  of  it.  It  could  not  Lave  been  done  without  my  see 
ing  it.  I  knew  what  work  was  going  on  on  the  torpedoes,  always.  1 
took  a  special  interest  in  them  and  consulted  frequently  with  the  officer 
in  charge  of  the  division.  The  Captain  has  ordered  us  not  to  put  the 
warheads  on.  I  mentioned  the  subject  of  the  warheads  to  the  com- 
manding officer  at  least  twice,  and  both  times  he  told  me  not  to  do  so. 

Q.  Had  the  warheads  ever  been  fitted  to  the  torpedoes  at  any  time 
while  you  were  executive  officer  of  the  Maine? 

A.  They  had  not. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  when  there  was  any  large  transfer  of  ammuni- 
tion from  one  magazine  into  another  on  board  the  Maine? 

A.  None  during  my  stay  on  board,  to  my  knowledge. 

Q.  Then  you  do  not  believe  that  any  large  amount  of  G-inch  charges 
had  been  taken  out  of  the  reserve  0-inch  magazine  and  sent  to  the 
others'? 

A.  1  should  say  not,  during  the  two  months  and  over  I  was  on 
board. 

Q.  As  you  were  on  board  the  Maine  during  her  last  stay  in  Havana, 
and  were  frequently  on  deck,  did  it  ever  occur  to  you  that  the  ship  was 
almost  always  swinging  in  any  certain  direction? 

A.  A  large  portion  of  the  time  the  wind  was  to  the  eastward,  and  we 
always  swung  to  the  wind,  generally  a  little  to  the  southward  of  east, 
as  I  remember  now,  though  I  am  not  positive  about  the  points  of  the 
compass.    We  generally  pointed  to  the  eastern  shore. 

Q.  Do  you  consider  that  the  way  she  swung  at  the  time  she  blew 
up  was  an  unusual  way  for  her  to  swing? 

A.  I  never  remember  her  swinging  in  that  direction — remaining 
in  that  direction — for  any  length  of  time.  She  probably  swung  past 
that  direction  several  times,  but  not  to  remain  in  that  direction  for  any 
length  of  time. 

Q.  Are  you  able  to  testify  whether  she  was  heading  in  that  direction 
for  any  length  of  time  previous  to  the  explosion  ? 

A.  Not  in  the  absolute  direction  she  is  now;  but  after  the  usual 
morning  drill,  I  directed  the  officer  of  the  deck  to  get  up  the  gallery 
target  and  rifle.  They  placed  that  always  on  the  starboard  turret, 
forward.  Therefore  we  would  have  to  fire  in  the  direction  of  the  keel. 
The  officer  of  the  deck,  after  some  little  time  had  elapsed,  said  that  we 
were  swinging  in  the  general  direction  of  the  Alfonso  and  the  other 
Spanish  vessel.  He  asked  me  if  it  was  safe  to  fire,  and  I  told  him  not 
to  fire.  I  thought  it  was  safe,  but  I  considered  it  better  not  to  fire  in 
the  direction  of  those  ships.  We  held  that  general  direction,  which 
was  quite  as  much  toward  the  shore  as  we  were  afterwards,  but  more 
to  the  westward  than  usual,  but  not  as  much  as  she  was  when  she 
went  down.  As  far  as  I  can  remember,  she  was  heading  in  the  general 
direction  in  which  she  went  down  when  the  City  of  Washington  came 
in,  and  remained  about  in  that  direction  up  to  the  time  of  the  explosion. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  us  how  the  City  of  Washington  was  lying  at  the 
time  of  the  explosion,  in  regard  to  the  Maine? 

A.  She  was  on  the  port  quarter  of  the  Maine,  at  a  distance  of  about 
400  feet,  I  should  say.  I  thought  she  was  too  close  to  swing  properly, 
only  I  knew  that  almost  every  vessel  followed  the  direction  of  the 
wind,  and  there  was  very  little  danger  of  fouling. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     105 

Q.  Was  she  heading  in  the  same  direction  as  the  Maine  f 
A.  The  same  general  direction — yes,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  question  to  ask,  the  testimony  of  the  witness 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  left  the  witness  stand  and  resumed  his  seat  in  the 
court  room. 

Ensign  Powelson  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Mr.  Powelson,  is  the  testimony  given  by 
you  yesterday,  as  recorded,  correct? 

Ensign  Powelson.  It  is,  with  the  exception  of  the  corrections  which 
I  have  made. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Please  give  them  to  the  stenographer. 

Ensign  Powelson.  On  page  201,  in  the  ninth  line  from  the  bottom, 
"one  inch"  should  read  "  a  quarter  inch." 

On  page  203,  in  the  thirteenth  line  from  the  bottom,  insert  "  plating" 
after  "  bottom." 

On  page  204,  in  line  10,  scratch  out  the  word  "at."  In  the  fourth 
line  from  the  bottom  insert  "are"  between  "and"  and  "about."  The 
last  line  should  read  "wing  of  after  plating  and  the  starboard  wing  of 
forward  plating.    The  V  occurs  at  about  frame  15." 

On  page  205,  in  the  eleventh  line  from  the  bottom,  after  "but"  omit 
everything  down  to  the  sentence  commencing  in  the  next  line  with  "All 
other  sluice  valves." 

On  page  207,  in  the  ninth  line  from  the  bottom,  change  "calk"  to 
"cork." 

On  page  208,  in  the  ninth  line,  change  "main"  to  "berth."  In  the 
twelfth  line  from  the  bottom  "eleven"  should  read  "  seventeen." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  now  amended  correct? 

Ensign  Powelson.  Yes,  sir. 

Ensign  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy,  resumed  the  witness  stand,  and  was 
cautioned  by  the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was 
still  binding. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Since  you  gave  your  testimony  yesterday,  have  you  received  a 
book  of  specifications  of  the  Maine? 

A.  I  have;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  done  anything  toward  verifying  your  testimony  by 
that  book  in  regard  to  the  thickness  of  the  plates  that  you  referred  to 
in  your  testimony? 

A.  I  do  not  think  I  mentioned  the  thickness  of  any  plates  in  my  tes- 
timony. 

Q.  But  by  reading  the  book  and  seeing  the  thickness  of  the  plates 
you  can  tell  whether  you  are  sure  in  your  surmises. 

A.  I  have  looked  over  the  drawings  again  with  reference  to  what  I 
said  in  my  last  testimony.  The  only  plates  to  which  I  could  refer  for 
thickness  would  be  those  of  the  protective  deck.  Those  that  I  meas- 
ured were  1  inch  in  thickness. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Double  plating? 

A.  Double  plating,  each  1  inch  in  thickness.  (After  examination  of 
book.)    Forty  pounds  per  square  foot.     That  is,  1  inch  plating. 


106     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q,  You  spoke  of*  a  plate  which  had  green  paint  on  it.  Did  you  verify 
the  thickness  of  that  with  what  you  testified  to  by  the  specifications? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  would  like  to  say  to  the  court  that  Mr. 
Powelson  has  some  additional  testimony  to  give.  All  this  forenoon 
he  has  worked  in  unison  with  the  diver,  and  the  diver  has  made  expla- 
nations to  him  which  it  would  be  impossible,  so  it  is  thought  by  Mr. 
Wainwright,  who  is  in  charge  of  that  work,  to  give  to  the  court  intel- 
ligibly by  the  diver.  I  would  request  that  the  diver,  Olsen,  be  admitted 
to  the  court  room  while  Mr.  Powelson  gives  his  testimony,  in  order  to 
correct  him  in  anything  he  might  not  state  correctly,  and  in  that  way 
we  will  get  the  testimony  of  the  two  men  who  worked  together  at  the 
same  time. 

Permission  was  granted,  and  Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  entered  the  court 
and  was  warned  by  the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by 
him  was  still  binding 

By  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Olsen,  Mr.  Powelson  is  going  to  give  testimony  in  regard  to  your 
work  and  his  work  this  morning.  You  reported  to  him,  and  he  has  put 
the  work  together,  and  is  going  to  testify.  If  he  says  anything  at  all 
which  is  not  exactly  according  to  your  recollection,  you  must  at  once 
state  it  and  correct  him. 

A.  All  right,  sir. 

The  examination  of  Ensign  POWELSON  was  then  resumed. 
Examined  by  the  Judge- Ad vocate  : 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  we  are  now  ready  for  your  additional  testimony. 

A.  On  February  26,  to-day,  at  10  a.  m.,  Diver  Olsen  reported  to  me 
on  coming  up  from  below  that  he  had  followed  the  forward  and  after 
wings  of  the  V  shape  made  by  the  bottom  plating  at  frame  17.  He 
said  on  the  forward  wing  of  the  V  the  plates  ran  down  on  a  very  steep 
slant,  and  then  turned  under  and  out  under  the  starboard  side.  That 
just  above  where  the  plates  turned  to  go  under  the  starboard  side  he 
found  two  dents,  as  if  the  plating  had  been  bulged  in  between  the 
frames  from  outside  in. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  How  big  were  those? 

A.  He  reported  to  me  in  this  way:  He  held  up  his  hands  at  a  dis- 
tance which  I  measured  with  a  ruler.  He  said  they  were  about  2£ 
feet  long  and  bulged  in  about  6  inches,  if  I  remember  correctly.  He 
then  went  down  again,  and  came  to  the  surface  at  11  o'clock.  I  asked 
him  what  he  saw,  and  he  said:  "I  think  1  have  found  the  flat  keel." 
I  asked  him  what  reasons  he  had  for  thinking  this.  Then  he  made  me 
a  sketch  in  the  notebook  which  I  have  in  my  hand.  This  sketch  is 
approximately  the  shape  of  the  section  at  about  frame  10  or  11. 

(The  sketch  referred  to  by  the  witness  was  shown  to  the  court.) 

On  this  sketch  he  has  correctly  arranged  the  garboard  strake,  show- 
ing that  his  idea  of  the  construction  was  correct.  He  reported  that  the 
keel  was  sloping  downward  about  45  degrees  and  to  port,  with  the 
after  part  of  the  keep  uppermost.  I  then  asked  him  to  describe  to  me 
the  method  in  which  he  managed  to  reach  the  keel,  as  the  V  formed  by 
the  bottom  plating  at  frame  17  spread  out  at  the  water  line.  He  told 
me  that  after  going  down  some  distance  under  the  water,  these  two 
wings  of  the  bottom  plating  again  converged,  so  that  he  was  able  to  put 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  F.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     107 

his  feet  against  one  wing  and  his  back  against  the  other  and  support 
himself.  There  was  nothing  to  stand  on  below.  He  said  he  put  his 
back  against  the  after  wing  and  his  feet  against  the  forward  wing  and 
worked  himself  from  port  to  starboard.  He  drew  a  sketch  to  illustrate 
to  me  the  manner  in  which  he  did  it. 

(The  sketch  referred  to  by  the  witness  was  shown  to  the  court.) 
The  Witness.  He  felt  along  the  forward  wing  with  his  right  hand, 
wedging  himself  between  the  forward  and  after  wings.  With  his  right 
hand  he  felt  an  angle  in  the  plate.  He  ran  his  hand  along  it,  and 
found  on  the  other  side  of  the  angle  a  flat  piece  of  plate.  He  ran  his 
hand  along  a  little  farther,  and  found  another  angle.  He  ran  his  arm 
around  the  angle,  and  up,  until  he  found  the  edge  of  the  plate,  which 
he  described  by  a  measurement  I  took  between  his  hands  as  he  held 
them  up,  as  being  about  10  inches.  He  said  the  flat  plate  was  about 
16  inches  in  width  between  the  two  angles  to  which  I  have  referred.  I 
took  this  measurement  with  a  ruler,  Olsen  holding  up  his  hands.  Then 
he  told  me  that  he  reached  around  to  feel  still  farther,  and  in  doing  so 
lost  his  balance  and  fell  down.  I  asked  him  if  he  struck  bottom.  He 
said  that  he  did  not;  that  he  brought  up  on  the  life  line.  He  then 
signaled  to  the  attendant  on  the  scow  to  pull  him  up.  He  told  me 
thattheplate  nextto  the  point  which  he  had  just  felt  when  hefell  over — 
as  I  took  it,  the  starboard  edge  of  the  outer  flat  keel  plate — was  lapped 
under  the  keel  plate,  which  is  the  construction  with  the  garboard 
strake.  I  then  asked  him  if  he  had  explored  any  of  the  after  wing  of 
the  V.  He  told  me  that  he  had.  He  told  me  that  he  had  found  a  semi- 
circular hole  about  two  feet  in  diameter,  with  rivet  holes  all  around  it. 
I  asked  him  about  how  far  on  this  plating  that  semicircular  hole  was 
from  the  top  of  the  V  made  by  the  bottom  plating.  He  told  me  it  was 
about  20  feet.  I  asked  him  whether  the  edge  of  the  plate  at  which  he 
found  this  semicircular  hole  was  the  natural  edge,  with  rivet  holes,  or 
whether  it  presented  a  jagged  appearance.  He  told  me  that  the  plate 
at  this  point  presented  a  jagged  appearance,  as  if  it  had  been  torn. 
He  also  told  me  that  a  crack  had  extended  from  the  bottom  edge  of  the 
semicircular  hole  to  a  distance  of  about  8  inches,  and  that  the  plates 
about  this  hole  were  bent  away  from  the  green  side  of  the  plating.  He 
told  me  that  he  followed  the  after  wing  still  farther,  and  at  a  point 
about  25  feet  from  the  angle  of  the  V  he  found  a  plate  about  2  feet  6 
inches  in  width,  from  a  measurement  I  took  from  his  hands  as  he  indi 
cated  the  width,  and  that  this  plate  was  at  right  angles  to  the  inside 
plating  and  at  right  angles  to  the  edge  of  the  plating.  He  told  me 
that  this  plate  had  a  round  hole  cut  in  it.  I  then  asked  him  to  be  par- 
ticular about  the  direction  in  which  he  found  the  keel.  I  drew  a  sketch, 
indicating  a  direction  upward  and  a  direction  to  port  and  a  direction 
to  starboard,  and  I  asked  him  to  draw  upon  this  sketch  a  direction  of 
the  keel  looking  from  aft  forward.  He  did  so,  and  this  is  the  sketch. 
(The  sketch  above  referred  to  by  the  witness  was  shown  to  the  court.) 
The  Witness.  The  line  sloped  about  05  degrees  below  the  horizontal 
down  and  to  port.  I  then  made  another  sketch  indicating  forward,  aft, 
starboard,  and  port,  and  I  asked  him  to  draw  the  position  of  the  keel 
upon  this  sketch,  looking  down  upon  it.  This  is  the  sketch  that  he 
drew  me. 

(The  sketch  above  referred  to  by  the  witness  was  shown  to  the  court.) 

The  Witness:  That  shows  a  line  from  port  to  starboard,  the  port 

end  about  80  degrees  in  azimuth  from  a  head.     He  told  me  that  the 

highest  point  of  this  keel  was  the  starboard  part.     The  point  where  he 

found  the  keel,  he  told  me,  was  about  20  feet  under  water.     I  asked 


108  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

him  why  he  did  not  follow  the  keel  up  farther,  and  he  told  me  that  the 
plating's  between  which  he  was  wedged  opened  out  so  that  he  had 
nothing  to  support  him.  I  asked  him  if  he  could  see  any  more  of  the 
keel  above,  and  he  said  he  could  see  the  keel  for  5  feet.  I  asked  him 
if  the  keel  ended  there,  and  he  said  no,  it  continued  still  farther.  He 
then  told  me  that  the  geueral  direction  of  the  keel  was  parallel  to  the 
upper  edge  of  the  forward  wing  of  the  V-shaped  plating  at  frame  17. 
This  is  what  it  should  be,  by  a  deduction  from  the  appearance  of  the 
plating  above.  When  I  got  on  board  the  Fern  I  showed  Olsen  a  plan 
of  the  ship,  having  sections  at  frame  6  and  at  frame  16.  I  pointed  to 
the  frame  at  16,  aud  I  asked  him  if  the  angle  he  felt  was  as  great  as  that 
at  frame  1G  on  the  plan.  He  told  me  that  the  angle  was  not.  I  am 
now  referring  to  the  angle  made  by  the  flat  plate  of  the  keel  and  the 
plating  on  the  port  side. 

I  then  pointed  to  frame  6,  and  I  asked  him  if  the  angle  he  saw  was 
as  sbarp  as  that  at  frame  6.  He  told  me  that  it  was  not.  This,  then, 
would  make  the  point  at  which  it  found  the  keel,  according  to  his  state- 
ment, somewhere  between  frame  1G  aud  frame  6.  Now,  frame  17  is  at 
the  water's  edge,  and  as  he  went  down  on  the  forward  wing  of  the 
V-plating,  he  went  forward,  as  the  ship  was  in  its  original  position.  He 
says  he  went  down  20  feet.  This  would  put  him,  as  the  frame  spacing 
here  is  3  feet  6  inches,  about  six  frame  spaces,  or  he  was  at  that  time 
at  about  frame  10,  which  checks  up  very  well  with  his  statement  as  to 
the  angles  at  frame  16  and  frame  6.  On  the  plan  of  the  inner-bottom 
drainage  system,  I  find  there  is  an  opening  in  the  ship's  side  for  sea 
suction  aloug  the  edge  of  the  plating  where  Olsen  said  he  found  it,  and 
at  a  distance  of  21  feet  from  the  angle  of  the  V.  Olsen  told  me  that  he 
found  it  at  20  feet,  which  agrees  very  closely. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  That  is,  in  which  direction  ? 
A.  Aloug  the  edge  of  the  plating. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Are  you  now  through  with  what  Olsen  told  you  % 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  through  with  what  Olsen  told  me. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  ask  that  Olsen  be  directed  to  withdraw, 
and  to  stand  by  for  recall. 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  then  withdrew,  after  being  directed  to  stand  by 
for  recall,  and  cautioned  not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to 
the  inquiry. 

The  witness  Powelson  then  produced  the  drainage  plans,  and  testified 
as  follows: 

At  frame  18,  the  second  longitudinal,  is  where  I  found  the  sluice 
valve.  Olsen  testified  that  at  about  20  feet  from  the  sluice  valve 
he  found  an  opening  in  the  ship's  side.  The  sea  suction  in  compartment 
A-10  follows  the  direction  taken  by  Olsen,  and  is  situated  about  21 
feet  from  the  sluice  valve,  which  checks  up  very  well.  1  found  some 
boarding  forward  of  frame  17.  This  boarding  was  originally  horizontal, 
and  next  the  ship's  side,  under  the  pieces  of  the  protective  deck  to 
which  I  have  already  referred,  and  of  which  I  have  made  a  sketch. 
These  boards  are  now  in  an  almost  vertical  position,  aud  the  plating  is 
now  away  from  the  after  end  of  these  boards  in  a  plane  almost  at  right 
angles  to  them.  If  you  consider  the  section  of  the  ship  between  frames 
18  and  13,  and  consider  that  the  part  of  the  bottom  plating  between 
frame  18  and  frame  15  is  bent  out  at  a  right  angle,  and  then  that  the 
whole   section  is  turned  forward  through  90°,  you  will  picture  the 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     109 

position  in  which  the  plates  are  now  found.  This  plating  could  either 
have  been  shoved  out  from  the  after  side  or  it  could  have  been  pushed 
in  from  the  forward  side.  The  only  indication  as  to  how  this  was  done 
is  the  wooden  boarding.  If  the  after  part  of  the  plating  had  been 
pushed  out  from  the  inside,  the  boarding  would  have  broken  at  the 
V  which  the  plates  make.  If  the  forward  part  of  the  plating  had 
been  pushed  in,  the  boards  would  have  been  pulled  away  from  the  after 
plating,  as  is  the  case  with  the  plates  now.  In  other  words,  the  side  of 
the  ship  between  frames  13  and  18  has  two  Vs.  Frame  17  has  been 
pushed  in,  forming  a  V  from  a  point  4  feet  above  the  second  longitudi- 
nal downward.  The  plating  has  been  pushed  in  at  about  frame  15, 
from  a  point  4  feet  above  the  second  longitudinal  forward. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  All  you  have  told  us  relates  to  the  part  of  the  ship  between 
frames  18  and  24*? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  from  frames  13  to  24.  I  sent  the  diver  down,  and 
he  found  where  that  piece  of  protective  deck  is  fast  to  the  outside  plat- 
ing. He  found  that,  and  when  it  got  down  there  by  the  protective 
deck  a  lot  of  cellulose  came  up,  showing  he  was  walking  in  the  cellu- 
lose compartment. 

Q.  That  piece  of  plating  is  fastened  to  the  starboard  side  of  the 
ship,  is  it? 

A.  The  port  side.     You  can  see  it,  sir. 

Q.  There  is  no  hole  in  the  outside  plating  at  that  point1? 

A.  It  is  torn.    I  do  not  know  where  the  rest  of  it  is. 

Q.  Was  he  able  to  follow  the  after  side  of  the  V  until  he  came  to  the 
end  of  that? 

A.  The  forward  side  of  the  V  took  him  right  up  toward  the  water- 
ways of  the  spar  deck,  where  that  V  is  turned.  It  starts  down  and  is 
broken  off.  All  that  you  can  see  going  along  horizontally  is  fastened 
to  the  deck.  He  followed  the  forward  wing,  and  went  around  down  in 
under  the  ship,  and  the  keel  is  fast  to  the  forward  wing. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  From  your  knowledge  of  the  Maine  and  the  drawings  of  the  Maine, 
how  do  you  look  upon  the  information  that  diver  Olsen  gave  you? 

A.  I  think  it  is  extremely  accurate. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Shall  I  ask  the  witness  what  deduction  he 
derives  from  all  this  ? 

The  Court.  Yes;  you  can. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  What  do  you  deduce  from  this  information  received  from  the  diver 
this  forenoon,  together  with  such  information  as  you  had  before? 

A.  I  thiuk  that  an  explosion  occurred  on  the  port  side  somewhere 
about  frame  18,  center  of  impact. 

Q.  Would  you  put  18  as  the  center  of  impact?  Because  it  seems  to 
me  that  has  to  be  taken  in  connection  with  other  injuries. 

A.  Frame  18  was  the  water- tight  bulkhead,  and  consequently  was 
stronger  than  frame  16.  The  ship  yielded  at  17,  and  also  yielded  at 
15.    It  is  pretty  hard  to  say  where  it  came.    Frame  15  was  blown  in. 

Q.  You  see  everything  at  frame  26  is  gone? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  is  nothing  there.  I  should  say,  then,  between 
frames  16  and  18  was  the  center  of  impact,  and  that  this  was  under  the 
ship,  a  little  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  keel? 


110  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  Frame  17  is  broken  off  at  the  third  longitudinal,  approximately, 
so  that  I  should  say  the  distance  from  the  keel  would  be  15  feet  in  a 
horizontal  line. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  How  high  up  would  that  be,  up  the  ship's  side  from  the  keel1? 

A.  That  point  of  the  ship's  side  is  about  10  feet  above  the  plane  of 
the  keel. 

Q.  Ten  vertical  feet  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  do  you  account  for  the  immense  damage  done  abreast  of  the 
reserve  magazine,  where  there  is  nothing  left,  whereas  between  frames 
16  and  18  you  have  found  damaged  plates  ? 

A.  My  idea  is  that  after  the  ship  was  raised  up  at  frame  18,  the 
magazines,  one  or  all  of  them,  after  that  were  exploded,  for  some  pow- 
der tanks  that  I  have  seen  I  think  were  exploded,  while  others  I  have 
seen  were  not  exploded.  I  saw  a  coffee  can  that  was  brought  up  this 
morning  which  was  about  as  badly  battered  as  most  of  the  powder 
cases  that  came  up.    It  looked  in  very  much  the  same  condition. 

Q.  When  you  say  some  of  the  powder  tanks  had,  in  your  opinion, 
exploded,  and  some  had  not,  do  you  refer  to  6-inch  tanks  only  or  to  10- 
inch  tanks  also? 

A.  I  refer  to  both,  as  I  have  seen  a  6-inch  tank  that  was  very  little 
ripped  open,  and  I  saw  one  this  morning  that  had  been  first  opened 
and  flattened  out,  with  evidences  of  burnt  powder  upon  it.  I  saw  one 
10-inch  tank  that  was  scarcely  battered  at  all,  and  only  the  head  of  it 
gone.  I  also  saw  10-inch  tanks  with  the  packing,  which  looked  like 
excelsior,  unburnt;  so  that,  in  my  opinion,  some  but  not  all  of  the  10- 
inch  and  6-inch  charges  were  exploded. 

Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  tanks  were  brought  up  this  morning? 

A.  The  divers  started  getting  tanks  so  late  in  the  forenoon  that  they 
did  not  get  many.    I  think  probably  four  or  five. 

Q.  And  of  these  how  many  were  exploded  and  how  many  were  not? 

A.  I  did  not  see  all  of  them.  The  only  one  I  remember  distinctly 
was  the  one  to  which  I  have  referred,  which  was  exploded  and  burst 
out,  so  that  the  case  formed  almost  a  plane  surface. 

Q.  You  say  one  had  the  head  gone.    Did  you  see  that  one? 

A.  I  saw  the  10-inch  tank  with  the  head  gone.  That  was  not  brought 
up  this  morning.  It  had  preserved  its  proximate  shape,  and  did  not 
look  much  more  damaged  than  if  it  had  been  dropped  or  rolled  down 
the  staircase. 

Q.  Had  the  head  of  the  cylinder  been  torn  off? 

A.  The  head  of  the  cylinder  was  a  removable  head.  The  fastenings 
were  still  there. 

Q.  Who  could  give  testimony  about  the  tanks  brought  up  to-day? 

A.  Ensign  Brumby  or  Gunner  Morgan. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  I  suppose  you  saw  the  10  inch  full  tank  that  was  recovered  some 
days  ago,  did  you? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  see  that  tank,  but  I  was  told  by  the  officer  of 
the  deck  of  the  Fern  that  such  tank  had  been  recovered,  and  was  now 
in  the  magazine  of  the  Fern. 

Q.  Do  you  suppose  you  could  make  a  perspective  sketch  of  the  dif- 
erent  parts  of  the  ship  as  you  understand  them  to  exist  at  present? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  tried,  but  I  have  no  talent  at  all  for  perspective  draw- 
ing.   I  tried  to  do  it. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  Ill 

Q.  We  would  not  expect  a  finished  drawing,  but  I  think  you  under- 
stand it  better  than  anybody  else. 

A.  I  could  try  to  do  it,  sir. 

Q.  I  do  not  mean  immediately,  but  putting  together  the  sketches 
which  you  have  obtained  from  time  to  time,  so  that  if  the  board  should 
return  at  some  future  day  you  might  be  able  to  give  us  a  drawing 
which  would  show  the  present  condition  of  the  bottom  of  the  ship? 

A.  I  think  I  can  get  someone  who  does  perspective  drawing,  tell  him 
just  what  I  want,  and  have  him  make  it.  I  could  tell  whether  it  is 
correct  or  not  when  I  see  it,  although  I  can  not  make  it  myself. 

Q.  I  would  like  to  ask  whether  you  do  not  think  that  this  same  means 
carried  away  the  body  of  the  ship  just  forward  of  frame  20,  that  is,  the 
forward  part  of  the  reserve  6-inch  magazine,  and  produced  the  distor- 
tion that  we  have  been  discussing? 

A.  That  question,  sir,  is  rather  a  difficult  one,  because  it  brings  in  so 
much  conjecture.  If  anything  definite  were  known  about  the  amount 
of  powder  that  was  under  the  ship 

Q.  Or  what  shape  it  was  in? 

A.  Or  what  shape  it  was  in,  you  might  draw  some  conclusion. 

Q.  Is  it  not  likely  that  if  there  is  a  large  hole  in  the  ship  abaft  the 
point  we  have  been  discussing,  say  frame  18,  and  also  if  there  were  a 
large  hole  driven  up  through  the  ship  at  frame  26,  is  it  not  likely  that 
that  same  force  would  be  the  force  that  lifted  and  distorted  the  ship  at 
frame  18,  25  or  30  feet  away? 

A.  I  think  a  very  heavy  explosion  farther  aft  than  frame  18 — as  the 
ship  was  much  weaker  forward  of  frame  24  than  aft — such  an  explo- 
sion of  the  forward  body  could  have  been  produced  by  a  force  farthei 
aft. 

Q.  It  is  only  a  question  of  the  area  of  the  effect  of  the  explosion.  It 
is  not  likely  there  were  two  outside  forces. 

The  President.  No;  but  suppose  it  were  a  mine,  and  if  it  were  cir- 
cular or  spherical  and  placed  in  a  certain  position,  say  10  or  15  feet 
from  the  keel,  then -the  center  of  effort  and  the  destruction  produced 
would  be  around  the  center,  and  it  would  be  circular;  but  if  it  were 
a  cylinder  and,  instead  of  being  parallel  to  the  keel,  it  inclined  from, 
say,  frame  26,  where  it  approached  the  keel,  outward — not  parallel  to  the 
keel,  but  crosswise  across  the  bottom  of  the  ship — then  the  destruction 
would  be  greatest  at  the  after  end. 

A.  That  is  such  a  difficult  question  that  1  think  I  would  rather  not 
answer. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Then  I  think  I  would  not  say  definitely  that  it  was  at  that  par- 
ticular place. 

The  President.  Yes;  he  is  basing  his  opinion  now  on  what  he  has 
seen.  When  you  come  to  take  in  the  big  hole,  as  we  imagine  it  to  be, 
that  may  have  been  produced  by  still  another  mine. 

Q.  It  was  only  with  reference  to  the  question  of  fixing  it  definitely 
that  I  asked  the  question. 

A.  On  the  bottom  forward,  where  that  frame  was  thrown  up,  it  would 
seem  to  me  the  force  was  communicated  some  distance  through  the 
water,  because  this  thing  was  lifted  up  instead  of  being  battered  in. 
It  was  a  force  that  was  cushioned  in  some  way,  because  the  diver  tells 
me  there  was  a  bulge  in  plates  between  the  two  frames,  and  such  a 
force  as  that  would  be  a  cushion  pressure.  So,  the  plates  not  having 
been  broken  in,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  this  explosion  may  have 
occurred  aft,  and  the  frames  forward  of  the  transverse  armor  being 


112  DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

weaker  than  they  are  aft,  the  ship  might  have  been  lifted  up  there  by 
this  cushion  pressure  from  farther  aft. 

Q.  You  have  never  been  down  in  a  diving-  suit,  have  you? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  have.  It  struck  me,  as  I  was  looking  at  it,  that 
the  mine  there  could  not  have  been  very  close  to  those  plates  that  were 
lifted  up,  because,  as  I  say,  the  plates  are  not  so  much  damaged  as 
bent  in  the  form  of  a  V  and  raised  up  a  vertical  distance.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  mine  was  somewhat  removed,  and  the  pressure  came  through 
the  water,  which  produced  that  cushioned  sort  of  pressure. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the  ste- 
nographer, and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  desired  to  add  the  following  testimony: 

I  desire  to  amend  my  answer  as  to  the  center  of  impact  of  the  explo- 
sion. Not  being  in  possession  of  information  as  to  the  condition  of  the 
bottom  plating  aft  of  frame  18, 1  based  my  answer  entirely  upon  what 
I  had  seen  above  water.  If  the  bottom  plating  aft  of  frame  18  is  in  a 
broken  condition  from  outside  in,  I  should  say  that  an  explosion  at  this 
point  could  very  easily  have  produced,  by  lifting  that  part  of  the  ship, 
the  corrugated  appearance  which  the  forward  body  at  frames  18  and  15 
now  presents. 

The  additional  testimony  was  then  read  over  by  the  stenographer  to 
the  witness,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  relating  to  the  inquiry. 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  was  then  called  before  the  court  and  warned 
by  the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  You  have  heard  the  statements  made  by  Mr.  Powelson  before  this 
court  in  your  presence.    Are  they  correct  in  every  way  ? 

A .  Yes ;  they  are  correct. 

Q.  All  the  statements  that  he  told  the  court  you  had  made  to  him — 
are  they  quoted  correctly  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the 
stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  relating  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  5.15  o'clock  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  at  Key  West, 
Fla.,  Monday,  February  28,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


SEVENTH   DAY. 

U.  S.  Court-House,  Key  West,  Fla., 
k  Monday,  February  28,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  Saturday,  which  adjourn- 
ment took  place  on  board  the  Mangrove,  in  the  harbor  of  Havana.  The 
court  reconvened  in  the  United  States  court-house  at  Key  West,  Fla. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge- advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

Captain  Sigsbee,  who  remained  in  Havana,  informed  the  judge- 
advocate  that  he  would  waive  the  right  to  be  present  during  the  ses- 
sions of  the  court,  provided  the  judge-advocate  would  inform  him  in 
case  he  considered  Captain  Sigsbee's  presence  necessary  for  his  interests. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     113 

No  other  officer  desired  to  be  present  at  the  meeting  except  Lieuten- 
ant- Commander  Wainwright,  who  is  also  in  Havana,  and  who  desired 
to  be  presen4-  only  when  the  testimony  of  the  divers  is  being  taken. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  Saturday,  the  sixth  day  of  the 
inquiry,  was  read  and  approved. 

Lieut.  John  J.  Blandin,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached 
at  present. 

A.  Lieut.  John  J.  Blandin,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  attached  to  the  Maine  before  her  destruction? 

A.  Since  the  20th  of  June,  1897. 

Q.  What  duty  did  you  perform  during  that  time1? 

A.  Watch  and  division  officer. 

Q.  What  division  did  you  have1? 

A.  The  fourth  division. 

Q.  Is  that  the  after  division  of  the  ship? 

A.  That  was  the  after  division  of  the  ship. 

Q.  While  in  the  harbor  of  Havana  were  you  doing  the  duty  of  an 
officer  of  the  deck  ? 

A.  1  was. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  special  orders  that  were  issued  by  the  com- 
manding officer  while  in  Havana  in  order  to  guard  the  ship  more 
securely  than  at  any  other  place? 

A.  The  quarter  watch  was  on  watch  all  night.  Small-arm  ammuni- 
tion was  placed  in  the  belts  of  the  marines  and  of  the  quarter  watch  in 
the  gun  divisions,  one  hundred  rounds.  The  boxes  of  1-pounder  and 
6-pounder  ammunition  were  stored  in  the  cabin  pantry  (which  is  not 
used  for  anything  else),  the  armory,  and  the  pilot  house.  Sentries  were 
posted  on  the  forecastle  and  on  the  poop,  with  cartridges  in  their  belts, 
but  with  orders  not  to  load  their  pieces  unless  ordered  by  an  officer. 
Orders  were  given  to  see  that  strict  watch  was  kept,  which  was  done. 
I  think  those  were  the  principal  precautions  taken. 

Q.  During  the  time  you  stood  watch  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  did 
you  ever  know  of  any  hostile  demonstration  afloat,  in  the  way  of  boats 
approaching  the  ship  that  had  to  be  warned  off? 

A.  None  whatever. 

Q.  On  the  night  of  the  explosion  were  all  the  orders  that  you  have 
just  named  faithfully  carried  out? 

A.  They  were,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  your  duty  on  that  night? 

A.  I  had  the  watch  from  8  until  12. 

Q.  P.m.? 

A.  P.  m. 

Q.  What  time  did  you  relieve  the  deck? 

A.  At  8  o'clock.    I  relieved  Lieutenant  Blow. 

Q.  Had  the  8  p.  m.  reports  been  made  when  you  took  the  deck? 

A.  They  were  being  made  when  I  was  relieving. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  them  made? 

A.  I  did  not. 

Q.  Mr.  Blow  received  those  reports  ? 

A.  The  first  lieutenant  received  them,  sir. 

Q.  The  reports  of  lights  and  fires.     Who  received  those? 
S.  Doc.  207 8 


114  DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  Those  reports  were  received  by  Naval  Cadet  Cluverius,  as  I 
remember,  just  as  I  was  relieving. 

Q.  What  was  Naval  Cadet  Cluverius  doing  there? 

A.  He  was  the  midshipman  who  had  two  deck  watches  under  Mr, 
Blow. 

Q.  Mr.  Blow  was  there? 

A.  Mr.  Blow  was  there,  sir. 

Q.  When  you  took  the  deck,  was  everything  reported  perfectly  secure 
to  you,  and  the  ordinary  state  of  affairs? 

A.  Everything  was  perfectly  normal.    The  usual  reports  were  made. 

Q.  After  8  p.  m.  did  you  attend  to  your  duties  faithfully  as  an  officer 
of  the  deck? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  fully  your  experience  of  the  explosion, 
giving  all  the  noises  you  heard,  all  the  shocks  you  felt,  and  everything 
you  can  tell  the  court  in  regard  to  the  matter. 

A.  After  the  third  quarter  watch  at  9  o'clock  was  piped  down,  I  was 
on  the  starboard  side  of  the  deck  walking  up  and  down.  I  looked  over 
the  side  and  then  went  over  to  the  port  side  and  took  a  look.  I  don't 
remember  seeing  any  boats  at  all  in  sight.  I  thought  at  the  time  the 
harbor  was  very  free  from  boats.  I  thought  it  was  about  3  bells, 
and  1  walked  over  to  the  port  side  of  the  deck  just  abaft  the  after  turret. 
Mr.  Hood  came  up  shortly  afterwards  and  was  talking  to  me  when  the 
explosion  occurred.  I  am  under  the  impression  that  there  were  two 
explosions,  though  I  could  not  be  sure  of  it.  Mr.  Hood  started  aft  to 
get  on  the  poop  to  lower  the  boats,  I  suppose,  and  I  followed  him. 
Something  struck  me  on  the  head.  My  cap  was  in  my  hand.  My  head 
was  slightly  cut  and  I  was  partially  knocked  over,  but  not  stunned.  I 
climbed  on  the  poop  and  went  on  the  starboard  side  and  found  Captain 
Sigsbee  there.  I  reported  to  him.  He  ordered  the  boats  lowered  at 
once  to  pick  up  any  of  the  wounded.  The  officers  very  rapidly  got  on 
the  poop,  and  there  were  one  or  two  men  there,  but  very  few. 

The  barge  and  gig  were  lowered,  and  just  then  I  heard  a  man  crying 
out  down  on  the  quarter  deck.  I  went  to  the  ladder,  and  I  saw  Mr. 
Hood  trying  to  pull  a  ventilator  off  the  man's  legs.  He  was  lying  in 
the  wreckage;  jammed  there.  The  water  then  was  not  deep.  I  went 
down  and  helped  Mr.  Hood  pull  this  ventilator  off  and  carried  the  man 
on  the  poop,  with  the  help  of  Private  Loftus,  I  think  it  was.  It  was  a 
private  man.  Then  the  captain  told  Mr.  Wainwright  to  see  if  anything 
could  be  done  to  put  out  the  fire.  Mr.  Wainwright  went  forward  to 
the  middle  superstructure,  and  shortly  afterwards  came  back  and 
reported  to  the  captain  that  it  was  hopeless  to  try  to  do  anything. 
Then  in  a  very  few  moments  the  captain  decided  that  it  was  hopeless, 
and  gave  the  order  to  abandon  ship.  Boats  came  from  the  Alfonso 
Boce,  and  two  boats  from  the  City  of  Washington,  and  those,  with  our 
boats,  picked  up  the  wounded  and  sent  most  of  them,  by  the  captain's 
order,  to  the  Alfonso.  There  were  thirty-four  sent  there.  We  aban- 
doned ship,  the  captain  getting  in  his  gig  after  everybody  had  left,  and 
went  to  the  City  of  Washington. 

Q.  When  you  first  felt  the  explosion  did  you  notice  any  list  of  the 
ship? 

A.  None  whatever. 

Q.  Was  there  a  very  severe  shock  where  you  were  standing? 

A.  No;  it  was  a  shock,  but  I  should  not  call  it  a  very  severe  shock? 

Q.  I  suppose  you  at  once  looked  forward? 


DESTRUCTION   OP   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  115 

A.  I  at  once  looked  over  the  port  side,  as  I  thought  the  explosion 
occurred  on  the  port  side,  forward.    That  was  my  impression. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  water  thrown  up? 

A.  Not  a  particle. 

Q.  Tell  us  what  you  did  see  go  up  in  the  air? 

A.  I  didn't  see  anything  go  up  in  the  air,  but  I  saw  all  kinds  of 
stuff  falling  down — wreckage. 

Q.  You  saw  no  upshoot  of  flame  ? 

A.  Mr.  Hood  saw  the  flame.  It  was  ou  the  starboard  side,  and  he 
looked  to  starboard. 

Q.  You  saw  none? 

A.  I  saw  a  flare.    I  didn't  see  the  actual  flame. 

Q.  You  spoke  of  ammunition  being  stowed  forward  for  ready  use. 
Will  you  please  state  where  that  was  stowed? 

A.  In  the  pilot  house. 

Q.  How  high  up  is  the  pilot  house?  It  is  some  distance  above  the 
superstructure  deck,  is  it  not? 

A.  It  is  about  10  feet,  I  should  say,  above  the  superstructure  deck. 

Q.  There  was  no  ammunition  forward  below  that? 

A.  None  below  that;  no,  sir.  This  was  only  secondary  battery 
ammunition  that  was  in  the  pilot  house. 

Q.  How  was  the  ship  swinging  at  the  time  of  that  explosion? 

A.  She  was  riding  to  the  ebb  current. 

Q.  The  ship  is  now  lying  pointing  almost  toward  the  admiralty 
house  or  Machina.  I  suppose  that  is  the  way  she  was  when  she  ex- 
ploded? 

A.  I  don't  remember  her  heading,  but  the  Alfonso  was  on  our  star- 
board quarter,  the  little  gunboat  was  almost  astern,  and  the  City  of 
Washington  was  on  our  port  quarter. 

Q.  Would  you  be  able  to  tell  the  court  whether  she  was  riding  in  an 
unusual  direction  for  that  harbor? 

A.  It  didn't  strike  me  so  from  the  general  appearance.  I  took  no 
notice  of  her  heading.  She  swung  around  the  buoy  for  three  weeks, 
about.    She  had  probably  been  on  every  heading. 

Q.  Did  she  seem  to  be  pretty  steady  on  that  heading  that  night  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  She  was  heading  steadily  in  that  direction  ? 

A.  She  seemed  to  be.    I  had  no  cause  to  suspect  any  change. 

Q.  You  know  that  ships  swing  a  great  deal  in  the  harbor  of  Havana. 
Could  you  not  tell  us  whether,  from  the  time  you  took  the  deck  until 
the  time  of  the  explosion,  the  Maine  seemed  to  be  heading  almost 
steadily  in  one  direction  ? 

A.  So  for  as  I  know,  she  was,  from  the  bearings  of  other  ships. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Were  you  so  situated  that  you  could  see  the  point  at  which  the 
explosion  took  place? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  abaft  the  after  turret  and  could  see  on  the  port 
side  well  aft,  but  the  turret  bulges  a  little  and  would  cut  off  the  sight 
of  the  side  of  the  ship  forward  of  the  gangway.  I  do  not  know  where 
the  explosion  took  place,  but  my  impression  is  it  was  on  the  port  side 
forward. 

Q.  You  were  not  so  situated  that  you  could  have  seen  the  burst  of 
flame  or  the  effect  of  the  first  explosion — whether  it  was  thrown  up? 

A.  I  could  have  seen  the  burst  of  flame  where  I  was  if  1  had  looked 
in  that  direction.    I  looked  over  the  port  side.    I  saw  the  glare  as  it 


116     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

went  up,  but  1  didn't  see  this  burst  of  flame  that  others  have  described. 
That  was  more  amidships. 

Q.  You  did  not  notice  any  ascent  of  a  column  of  water  as  the  result 
of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  None  at  all,  and  none  fell,  to  my  knowledge.  None  fell  on  me,  and 
I  saw  none  fall  around  me. 

Q.  How  soon  after  the  explosion  do  you  think  the  forward  part  of  the 
ship  was  under  water? 

A.  The  forward  part,  almost  within  a  minute.  1  should  estimate 
that,  at  the  most,  two  minntes  after  the  explosion  the  quarter  deck  was 
knee  deep  in  water.  She  was  on  bottom  in,  I  think,  less  than  three 
minutes,  all  over. 

Q.  You  say  you  heard  two  explosions? 

A.  That  is  my  impression,  sir;  though  I  could  not  be  positive.  I 
think  there  were  two. 

Q.  Similar  explosions? 

A.  So  far  as  I  can  judge,  sir.  When  the  first  explosion  took  place 
the  ship  quivered.  The  shock,  as  I  said,  was  not  so  great  where  I  was, 
and  my  impression  is  there  was  a  second  one,  but  the  difference  in 
similarity  I  could  not  describe. 

Q.  As  I  understand,  Mr.  Blandin,  you  only  saw  the  fragments 
coming  down? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  did  not  see  anything  go  up? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  So  that  whatever  was  thrown  upward  was  not  under  your 
observation? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  really  saw  very  little  coming  down,  but  I  heard  them 
and  felt  them. 

Q.  Was  there  any  perceptible  upheaval  of  the  ship  that  you  noticed? 

A.  Not  that  I  noticed;  no,  sir. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  Were  you  riding  head  to  the  wind? 

A.  There  was  practically  no  wind.  It  was,  if  anything,  a  very  light 
air. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  tho  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which 
he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court,  and  be  given  an  opportunity 
to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned,  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieut.  John  Hood,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  John  Hood,  lieutenant,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the  late  TJ.  S.  S. 
Maine. 

Q.  Since  when  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Mainef 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  117 

A.  Since  November  5,  1897. 

Q.  What  was  your  duty  during  that  time? 

A.  My  duty  was  as  watch  officer. 

Q.  Senior  watch  officer? 

A.  Senior  watch  officer. 

Q.  In  charge  of  the  powder  division  f 

A.  Yes,  sir;  in  charge  of  the  powder  division  and  the  torpedo 
division. 

Q.  Since  you  have  been  senior  watch  officer  in  charge  of  the  powder 
division  have  you  been  down  in  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms? 

A.  I  have  been  through  all  of  them. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  matter  being  stowed  in  the  shell  rooms  or 
magazines  which  was  prohibited  by  ordnance  instructions  and  regula- 
tions from  being  stowed  there? 

A.  I  do  not.  I  inspected  all  the  magazines  after  I  joined  the  ship, 
and  saw  them  all  properly  stowed.  I  saw  nothing  there  except  the 
proper  and  authorized  articles. 

Q.  You  consider  that  on  the  night  of  the  explosion  there  was  exist- 
ing the  same  state  of  affairs — no  violation  of  the  ordnance  regulations 
in  regard  to  the  stowage  of  explosives? 

A.  I  do.  I  did  not  inspect  it  then,  but  I  am  absolutely  sure  that 
there  was  nothing  done  beyond  the  ordinary  work  down  there. 

Q.  Who  was  acting  in  the  gunner's  place  at  the  time  of  the  explo- 
sion, and  who  had  been  for  some  time  previously? 

A.  Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Brofelt. 

Q.  What  is  the  record  and  character  of  that  man? 

A.  His  record  and  character  are  both  excellent.  He  is  a  very  excel- 
lent man,  a  thoroughly  reliable  man,  and  a  very  intelligent  man. 

Q.  Whenever  the  magazines  or  shell  rooms  are  open  for  drill  or  oth- 
erwise are  the  keys  always  returned  to  the  captain  and  the  magazines 
and  shell  rooms  reported  locked? 

A.  The  keys  are  always  returned.  The  magazine  is  reported  closed. 
The  report  is  made  to  the  officer  of  the  deck,  and  by  him  to  the  cap- 
tain. The  keys  are  never  gotten  out  except  by  a  report,  first,  to  the 
officer  of  the  deck,  as  to  what  they  are  wanted  for.  That  report  has  to 
be  turned  in  to  the  captain,  and  the  captain  sends  them  out. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  whether  on  the  day  of  the  explosion,  February 
15,  the  magazines  or  shell  rooms  had  been  opened  for  any  purpose? 

A.  They  were  not  opened  that  day  for  drill ;  but  it  is  the  routine  of 
the  ship  to  open  them  to  take  the  temperature.  That  I  had  nothing  to 
do  with  personally.     I  know  that  is  the  routine  of  the  ship. 

Q.  The  temperature  can  be  taken  from  the  small  plate  holes,  can 
it  not? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  it  is  done  that  way? 

A.  It  can  be  taken  through  the  small  holes.  I  never  examined  that 
personally  at  all.  All  the  magazines  were  opened  the  day  before  at 
drill,  and  I  passed  up  and  down  through  all  the  magazines  of  the  ship. 

Q.  That  was  Monday  gunnery  drill  there? 

A.  Gunnery  drill  day. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  pay  any  attention  to  the  temperature  of  magazines 
and  shell  rooms? 

A.  No;  that  was  not  my  special  business.  I  noticed  the  temperature 
of  the  magazines  myself  when  I  was  in  them,  but  that  was  all. 

Q.  Which  were  the  hottest  magazines? 


118  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  The  hottest  magazines  were  what  we  called  amidship  magazines; 
the  midship  10-inch  and  G-inch. 

Q.  Which  is  the  midship,  the  forward  or  the  after  10-inch? 

A.  The  after  10-inch,  down  between  the  engine  room  and  fire  room, 
and  they  were  much  warmer  than  any  of  the  forward  magazines.  The 
forward  magazines  were  comparatively  cool. 

Q.  During  drill,  were  all  regulations  properly  carried  out  in  regard 
to  men  going  down  to  magazines  and  shell  rooms'? 

A.  I  think  I  am  sure  they  were.    They  were,  so  far  as  I  know. 

Q.  You  had  no  drills  since  Monday  forenoon,  the  day  before1? 

A.  I  had  no  drill  after  Monday  forenoon,  the  day  before. 

Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  rockets  were  stowed? 

A.  They  were  stowed  on  deck,  aft  somewhere.  I  never  paid  any 
attention  to  that,  because  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  that. 

Q.  I  suppose  a  few  were  in  the  pilot  house  ? 

A.  A  few  were  always  up  in  the  pilot  house  for  use.  That  is  all  I 
ever  looked  at. 

Q.  While  you  were  officer  of  the  deck,  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  were 
there  any  special  regulations  made  by  your  commanding  officer,  and 
any  special  orders  given  in  regard  to  keeping  an  extra  lookout;  and,  if 
so,  were  they  faithfully  carried  out? 

A.  They  were,  while  I  was  on  watch.  Of  course,  I  did  not  see  it  all 
the  time. 

Q.  That  is  what  I  mean.  Did  you  ever  notice  any  hostile  demon- 
stration afloat  in  the  way  of  boats  approaching  the  ship  that  had  to  be 
warned  off  ? 

A.  No;  I  never  saw  any  demonstration  of  any  kind  afloat.  The 
only  passing  crafts  were  ordinary  passing  boats,  and  they  were  all 
hailed  as  they  went  along. 

Q.  Where  were  the  torpedo  war  heads  stowed  ? 

A.  They  were  stowed  in  the*  storeroom  for  them,  down  underneath 
the  forward  end  of  the  wardroom. 

Q.  When  had  they  been  handled  last  before  the  explosion  ? 

A.  About  the  26th  or  27th  of  December,  if  I  recollect  right.  They 
were  taken  up  just  at  the  end  of  December  and  weighed,  and  restowed 
again,  and  they  had  not  been  touched  since. 

Q.  No  torpedo  war  heads  were  fitted  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  No,  sir;  no  torpedo  warheads  were  out  of  the  torpedo  storeroom. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  kind  of  ammunition  and,  as  near  as  you  can 
tell  us,  the  amount  that  was  stowed  in  the  reserve  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  The  reserve  6-inch  magazine  struck  me  as  being  practically 
empty  when  I  went  through  it.  I  didn't  take  any  account  of  the  stock, 
but  there  was  very  little  ammunition  of  any  kind  in  it,  and  the  gunner 
who  went  through  the  magazine  with  me  told  me  that  he  had  the  salut- 
ing charges  and  a  few  extra  shell  stowed  in  there,  I  think.  I  am  not 
sure  about  that,  but  it  was  a  very  small  quantity  of  ammunition  of  any 
kind  that  was  stowed  in  that  reserve  magazine. 

Q.  On  June  30, 1897,  it  was  reported  that  there  was  quite  an  amount 
of  6-inch  charges  there.  Do  you  know  whether  there  were  any  there 
at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  1  do  not  know.    I  did  not  take  any  account  of  the  stock  there. 

Q.  Are  there  any  wooden  linings  to  the  magazines  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  There  were  gratings  on  the  floors,  but  I  don't  recollect  how  the 
sides  of  the  magazines  were  fitted. 

Q.  During  your  inspections,  did  you  notice  whether  there  were  any 
electric  wires  which  might  endanger  the  magazines? 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  119 

A.  I  never  saw  any  wires  there  except  the  light  wires  which  were  in 
the  light  box.     They  were  not  in  the  magazines. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  steam  pipes  which  might  endanger  the  maga- 
zines? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  think  there  were  any  steam  pipes  in  the  maga- 
zines at  all. 

Q.  I  believe,  in  answer  to  a  previous  question,  you  stated  that  while 
you  were  officer  of  the  deck  all  ordnance  regulations  were  faithfully 
carried  out.  I  believe  you  were  on  deck  at  the  time  of  the  explosion. 
For  how  long  previous  to  that  moment  were  you  on  deck? 

A.  I  came  on  deck  about  half  past  9.  It  may  have  been  a  little 
before  that;  and  the  explosion  occurred  about  9.40.  It  might  have 
been  a  little  longer.    I  was  on  deck  probably  about  fifteen  minutes. 

Q.  Could  you  state  whether  proper  vigilance  was  exercised  or  not  in 
respect  to  these  orders  ? 

A.  The  men  were  on  watch  on  deck  and  all  the  sentries  were  posted. 

Q.  The  officers  were  at  their  stations? 

A.  No  other  officer  was  on  deck  except  the  officer  of  the  deck  and 
myself.  The  officer  of  the  deck  was  on  deck  at  his  station,  but  there 
was  no  other  officer  on  deck  that  I  saw. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  which  way  the  ship  was  riding? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  From  your  experience  while  at  Havana,  did  you  think  she  was 
riding  in  an  unusual  way  or  in  a  way  in  which  she  had  frequently  been 
riding? 

A.  She  was  riding  in  a  direction  that  I  never  remember  having  seen 
her  ride  in  before. 

Q.  Was  she  heading  steadily  in  that  direction,  so  far  as  you  could 
judge  ? 

A.  Just  at  that  time  she  was  pretty  still. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  your  experience  of  the  explo- 
sion in  full — what  you  felt,  what  you  heard,  and  what  you  saw. 

A.  I  was  sitting  on  the  port  side  of  the  deck  with  my  feet  on  the  rail, 
and  I  both  heard  and  felt — felt  more  than  I  heard — a  big  explosion,  that 
sounded  and  felt  like  an  underwater  explosion.  I  was  under  the 
impression  that  it  came  from  forward,  -starboard,  at  the  time.  I 
instantly  turned  my  head,  and  the  instant  I  turned  my  head  there 
was  a  second  explosion.  I  saw  the  whole  starboard  side  of  the  deck 
and  everything  above  it  as  far  aft  as  the  after  end  of  the  superstructure 
spring  up  in  the  air  with  all  kinds  of  objects  in  it — a  regular  crater-like 
performance,  with  flames  and  everything  else  coming  up.  I  imme- 
diately sprang  myself  behind  the  edge  of  the  superstructure,  as  there 
were  a  number  of  objects  flying  in  my  direction,  for  shelter.  I  ran 
very  quickly  aft,  as  fast  as  I  could,  along  the  after  end  of  the  super- 
structure, and  climbed  up  on  a  kind  of  step.  I  went  under  the  barge,  and 
by  the  time  I  went  up  on  the  superstructure  this  explosion  had  passed. 
The  objects  had  stopped  flying  around.  Then  I  saw  on  the  starboard 
side  there  was  an  immense  mass  of  foaming  water  and  wreckage  and 
groaning  men  out  there.  It  was  scattered  around  in  a  circle,  I  should 
say  about  a  hundred  yards  in  diameter,  off  on  the  starboard  side.  I  im- 
mediately proceeded  to  lower  the  gig,  with  the  help  of  another  man. 
After  I  got  that  in  the  water  several  officers  jumped  in  it  and  one  or 
two  men.  In  the  meantime  somebody  else  was  lowering  the  other  boat 
on  the  port  side.  I  heard  some  groans  forward,  and  ran  forward  on 
the  quarter  deck  down  the  poop  ladder,  and  I  immediately  brought  up 
on  an  immense  pile  of  wreckage.  I  saw  one  man  there,  who  had  been 
thrown  from  somewhere,  pinned  down  by  a  ventilator. 


120     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

The  Court.  May  I  interrupt  Mr.  Hood  a  moment.  He  said  several 
officers  jumped  into  the  gig.  He  does  not  say  for  what  purpose  or 
what  they  did.  That  might  leave  a  bad  impression  unless  lie  states 
what  the  object  was. 

A.  They  jumped  into  the  gig,  commanded  to  pick  up  these  wounded 
men  whom  we  heard  out  in  the  water.  The  orders  had  been  given  by 
the  captain  and  the  executive  officer  to  lower  the  boats  as  soon  as  they 
came  on  deck.  I  spoke  o  flowering  the  gig,  because  I  was  on  the  deck 
before  they  got  up  there,  and  began  to  lower  it  anyway,  to  pick  up 
these  men.  As  I  was  saying  a  minute  ago,  1  found  this  one  man  lying 
there  on  the  quarter  deck  in  this  wreckage,  pinned  down  by  a  venti- 
lator. With  Mr.  Blandin's  help,  we  got  him  up  just  in  time  before  the 
water  rose  over  him.  The  captain  and  the  executive  officer  ordered 
the  magazines  to  be  closed.  We  all  saw  at  once  that  it  would  be  no 
use  flooding  the  magazines.  We  saw  that  the  magazines  were  flooding 
themselves.  Then  the  captain  said  he  wanted  the  fire  put  out  that  was 
starting  up  in  the  wreckage.  I  made  my  way  forward  through  the 
wreck  and  debris,  up  to  the  middle  superstructure,  to  see  if  anything 
could  be  done  toward  putting  out  this  fire.  When  I  got  there  I  found 
nothing  could  be  done  because  the  whole  thing  was  gone. 

When  I  climbed  up  on  this  wreck  on  the  superstructure  I  saw  simi- 
lar piles  of  wreckage  .on  the  port  side  which  I  had  not  seen  before,  and 
I  saw  some  men  struggling  in  that,  in  the  water;  but  there  were  half 
a  dozen  boats  there,  I  suppose,  picking  them  up  and  hauling  them  out; 
and  after  pulling  down  some  burning  swings  and  things  that  were 
starting  to  burn  ait,  to  stop  any  fire  from  catching  aft,  I  came  aft 
again  out  of  the  wreckage.  There  was  no  living  thing  up  there  at  that 
time.  Shortly  after  that  we  all  left  the  ship.  There  were  two  distinct 
explosions — big  ones — and  they  were  followed  by  a  number  of  smaller 
explosions,  which  I  took  at  once  to  be  what  they  were,  I  suppose — 
explosions  of  separate  charges  of  the  bl own-up  magazine.  The  instant 
this  first  explosion  occurred,  I  knew  the  ship  was  gone  completely,  and 
the  second  explosion  only  assisted  her  to  go  a  little  quicker.  She 
began  to  go  down  instantly.  The  interval  between  the  two  was  so 
short  that  I  only  had  time  to  turn  my  head  and  see  the  second.  She 
sank  on  the  forward  end — went  down  like  a  shot.  In  the  short  time 
that  I  took  to  run  the  length  of  that  short  superstructure  aft  the  deck 
canted  down,  showing  that  her  bow  had  gone  at  once. 

At  the  same  time  the  ship  heeled  over  considerably  to  port,  I  should 
say  about  10  degrees,  the  highest  amount,  and  then  the  stern  began  to 
sink  very  rapidly,  too;  so  rapidly  that  by  the  time  I  got  that  gig  low- 
ered, with  the  assistance  of  another  man  or  two,  the  upper  quarter  deck 
was  under  water,  and  the  stern  was  sinking  so  quickly  that  when  I 
began  to  pick  this  man  up,  whom  I  spoke  of  on  the  quarter  deck,  the 
deck  was  still  out  of  water.  Before  1  got  this  ventilator  off  him — it 
didn't  take  very  long,  as  Mr.  Blandin  assisted  to  move  that  to  get  him 
up — the  water  was  up  over  my  knees,  and  just  catching  this  fellow's 
head.  The  stern  was  sinking  that  quickly.  The  bow  had  gone  down, 
as  I  say,  instantly.     I  do  not  suppose  you  want  my  impressions. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  No;  I  will  ask  you  some  questions.  Which  was  the  larger 
explosion;  which  gave  you  the  greater  shock,  the  first  or  the  second? 

A.  The  first  was  more  of  a  feel.  I  mean,  you  felt  the  first  explosion 
rather  more  than  you  saw  it.  I  felt  the  whole  ship  just  go  up  and 
tremble  an'"  vibrate  all  over.  The  first  explosion  was  a  duller  sound, 
to  me.     The  second  was  a  kind  of  an  open  explosion,  you  might  say, 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  121 

which  was  the  one  that  I  saw,  which  came  right  up  at  once.  The  other 
one  had  come  up,  too,  but  I  had  not  been  able  to  see  it. 

Q.  Was  tbere  any  lifting  of  the  ship  at  the  time  of  the  first  explosion  ? 

A.  The  ship  began  to  list  immediately.  The  explosions  followed  each 
other  very  quickly.  I  just  had  time  to  turn  my  head,  and  the  ship 
began  to  list  to  port  immediately.  There  was  no  appreciable  interval 
of  time  between  these  two  explosions. 

Q.  What  I  mean  is,  Did  the  ship  give  a  sudden  list  to  either  star- 
board or  port  at  the  first  explosion,  as  if  something  had  struck  hex'  on 
either  side?    I  don't  mean  a  gradual  sinking,  as  she  did  afterwards. 

A.  I  didn't  notice  any  special  list  at  the  first  shot,  but  she  began  to 
list  immediately. 

Q.  As  I  understand  from  your  description,  the  first  explosion  was 
more  as  if  something  had  run  into  her,  and  trembled  the  whole  ship? 

A.  No;  not  as  if  something  had  run  into  her  at  all;  as  though  some- 
thing had  exploded  under  her. 

Q.  It  affected  the  whole  ship  more  than  the  second  explosion,  which 
has  a  bursting  of  the  forward  part? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  which  side  did  you  think  the  explosion  was,  at  the  moment  ? 

A.  My  instantaneous  impression  was  that  it  was  on  the  starboard 
side;  but  that  was  an  impression.  It  was  the  starboard  side  that  I 
saw  blow  up  myself.  I  couldn't  sec  the  port  side.  I  was  sitting  behind 
the  after  turret,  and  the  awning  was  spread,  coming  down,  and  I 
couldn't  see  that  at  all.  I  felt  the  explosion  was  forward,  and  rather 
to  starboard.  I  naturally  supposed  it  must  have  been  to  starboard, 
because  it  was  to  starboard  that  I  looked. 

Q.  And  could  see  ? 

A.  And  could  see. 

Q.  The  turret  obstructed  the  view  of  the  port  gangway,  did  it  not? 

A.  It  entirely  obstructed  the  view  of  the  port  gangway.  I  could  not 
see  anything  at  all  to  port.  The  turret  was  there,  and  the  awning  was 
spread,  coming  down  through  the  top  of  the  turret,  so  that  I  could  see 
neither  above  nor  ahead. 

Q.  The  quarter- deck  awning  was  spread,  was  it? 

A.  Yes;  and  my  only  line  of  sight  forward  was  in  a  diagonal  star- 
board line,  between  the  after  superstructure  and  the  turret  gun,  look- 
ing out  toward  the  starboard  gangway. 

Q.  Was  any  water  thrown  up  at  the  time  of  either  explosion? 

A.  I  didn't  see  any  water  thrown  up. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any? 

A.  I  didn't  feel  any. 

Q.  Were  there  any  upshoots  of  flame  in  either  explosion? 

A.  The  first  explosion,  I  do  not  know  what  there  was,  because  I  did 
not  see  it;  but  in  the  second  explosion,  there  was  an  upshoot  of  flame, 
and  deck  ana  everything  else  in  sight,  along  the  starboard  side.  I  saw 
the  whole  starboard  side  of  the  deck,  as  far  as  I  could  see  it,  nearly  as 
far  aft  as  the  after  end  of  the  middle  superstructure — I  saw  the  whole 
thing  go  up  in  the  air,  and  the  part  of  the  superstructure  there  along 
with  it. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  explosions  in  the  air? 

A.  No. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  You  connect  that  movement  of  the  lifting  of  the  deck  of  the  middle 
superstructure  distinctly  with  the  second  explosion,  do  you? 
A.  The  deck,  not  the  superstructure  at  all.     During  this  first  explo- 


122  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHTP    MAINE. 

sion  there  was  nothing  in  the  way  of  the  starboard  gangway  of  that 
vast  mass  of  wreckage  that  is  lying  there  now.  My  first  sight  through 
the  starboard  side  was  a  perfectly  clear  sight,  and  there  was  nothing 
lying  there,  or  there  was  no  wreckage  there,  of  that  immense  pile  of 
wreckage  that  is  piled  on  the  starboard  and  after  side  of  the  ship  after 
the  whole  thing  was  over.  There  was  nothing  there  at  that  time. 
There  was  a  clear  view  through,  right  past  that  superstructure,  and  I 
just  happened  to  get  a  look  in  time  to  see  all  that  go  up  itself.  When 
I  climbed  up  after  the  thing  was  over,  and  we  got  the  boats  out,  and  I 
climbed  up  in  this  mass  of  wreckage  at  night,  I  found  an  immense  mass 
of  wreckage  piled  up  where  I  had  seen  this  thing  go  up.  In  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  I  took  that  mass  of  wreckage  to  be  the  starboard  side 
of  the  ship,  that  had  just  blown  up  and  tilted  up.  That  was  my 
impression  during  that  night,  that  this  big  mass  of  wreckage  was  the 
end  of  those  beams  that  I  discovered  the  next  morning.  That  night  I 
thought  they  might  be  the  end  of  the  beams  themselves  thrown  up  in 
the  air.  When  that  second  explosion  took  place  there  was  nothing  in 
the  line  of  my  sight  forward.     It  was  perfectly  clear. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  first  explosion"?  What  was 
exactly  your  position  ? 

A.  I  was  sitting,  I  should  say,  just  between — I  can  point  it  out 
exactly  on  the  plan. 

Q.  We  would  rather  have  you  tell  where  you  were,  because  your 
pointing  can  not  go  in  the  record. 

A.  I  was  sitting  almost  opposite  the  door,  I  should  say,  almost  under 
the  forward  davit  of  the  whaleboat. 

Q.  On  the  port  side? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Fix  it  exactly  by  the  number  of  the  frame? 

A.  I  don't  know  what  the  number  of  the  frame  is.  I  was  sitting 
right  there,  almost  opposite  this  door  [indicating]. 

Q.  The  door  that  leads  into  the  admiral's  cabin? 

A.  The  door  that  leads  into  the  admiral's  cabm,  yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  frames  are  numbered  here. 

A.  (After  examination  of  the  plan.)  I  was  sitting  about  on  frame 
06,  close  to  the  port  rail. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  you  jumped  right  up  and  ran  over  to 
starboard  ? 

A.  First,  before  I  jumped  out  of  my  chair,  I  turned.  I  was  sitting 
in  the  chair  with  my  feet  on  the  rail.  Before  I  jumped,  I  turned  to  the 
right  to  look  forward,  and  I  had  a  view  just  between  the  turret  and  the 
aftersuperstructure,  across  the  deck,  over  to  the  starboard  gangway. 
I  did  not  start  to  run  until  after  the  second  explosion,  when  1  saw  the 
whole  deck  and  everything  above  there,  and  below,  too,  I  suppose,  rise 
up  in  the  air.  I  saw  various  missiles  of  all  kinds  flying  around  loose, 
and  some  of  them  were  flying  toward  me.  One  of  them  whisked  off 
my  cap  as  it  came  by.  It  didn't  touch  my  head,  but  I  felt  the  wind  of 
it  as  it  went  by,  and  I  quickly  jumped  against  the  port  side  of  the  after- 
superstructure,  to  be  under  shelter  from  these  flying  missiles. 

Q.  Your  position  did  not  give  you  a  full  view  of  the  starboard  gang- 
way ? 

A.  No. 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  123 

Q.  The  wreck  shows  now  that  the  forward  part  of  tbe  superstructure 
was  thrown  forward  of  the  afterpart? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  think  it  might  have  been  possible  that  it  was  thrown  up 
at  the  first  explosion  but  not  landed  in  time  for  you  to  see  the  wreckage  ? 

A.  That  is  exactly  what  I  tbink.    It  was  not  there  when  I  saw  this 
second  explosion.    Just  immediately  after  I  got  up  on  tbe  superstruc 
ture,  the  thing  was  there.    My  belief  is  that  tbe  whole  forward  part  of 
the  superstructure  that  is  lying  there  on  tbe  starboard  gangway  now 
was  in  tbe  air  at  the  time  I  saw  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  You  think  the  first  explosion  threw  up  tbe  middle  superstructure"? 

A.  I  do.  Tbe  explosion  that  I  saw  myself  was  on  the  starboard 
side,  and  that  would  have  raised  and  thrown  anything  in  the  other 
direction — thrown  it  off. 

Q.  You  saw  tbe  second  explosion  on  tbe  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  could  it  not  have  been  on  both  sides  and  you  not  able  to 
see  it? 

A.  It  could  have  been,  except  that  when  I  examined  the  wreck  tbe 
next  morning  the  afterpart  of  the  port  side  of  the  middle  superstruc- 
ture was  apparently  intact.  It  is  intact  there  yet,  almost,  and  the  star- 
board side  aft  is  all  gone.  As  I  say,  I  saw  this  deck  go  up  almost  as 
far  aft  as  the  after  end  of  the  superstructure. 

Q.  Tben  it  is  your  belief  that  the  deck  was  raised  at  the  first 
explosion? 

A.  It  is  my  belief  that  the  forward  deck — that  main  deck  forward — 
was  raised  at  the  first  explosion. 

Q.  And  the  second  explosion  might  have  been  on  the  port  side  as 
well  as  the  starboard,  but  you  would  only  see  the  starboard?  Is  that 
correct? 

A.  No;  I  tbink  the  second  explosion  was  more  to  starboard.  Tbe 
flames  and  tbe  crater  that  I  saw  were  to  starboard. 

Q.  None  on  the  port  side? 

A.  I  could  not  see  the  port  side.  I  do  not  know  what  was  on  the 
port. 

Q.  That  is  what  I  am  trying  to  say.  You  could  not  testify  as  to  the 
port  side? 

A.  I  could  not  see  the  port  side  at  all.  Of  course,  I  only  have  my 
impressions  of  it  alter  I  climbed  up  on  tbe  wreckage  and  saw  what  was 
left — saw  what  the  thing  was;  but  I  could  not  see  anytbing  to  port.  I 
did  see  the  starboard  side  go  up,  and  when  I  saw  that  starboard  side 
go  up  my  first  sight  of  it  was  clear.  There  was  nothing  piled  up  there, 
and  it  was  perfectly  clear.  Shortly  after  the  explosion,  the  next  time 
I  saw  it,  there  was  a  great  mass  of  wreckage  piled  up  there,  which  I 
saw  afterwards  was  the  forward  end  of  the  main  deck  and  the  middle 
superstructure.  That  was  not  there  when  this  second  explosion  that  I 
saw  took  place. 

Q.  You  could  not  be  positive,  then,  which  explosion  threw  up  the 
forward  part  of  the  superstructure,  but  you  are  positive  tbat  it  was 
not  there  when  you  got  a  view? 

A.  I  am  positive  it  was  not  there  when  I  saw  it,  and  that  the  explo- 
sion that  I  saw  on  the  starboard  side  would  have  thrown  things  away 
from  there. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  How  do  you  account,  Mr.  Hood,  for  the  fact  that  the  missiles 


124  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE   IT.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

which  you  saw,  some  of  which  were  coming  your  way,  followed  the 
second  explosion  ? 

A.  They  were  things  that  had  blown  up  from  below  in  this  explo- 
sion— parts  of  the  deck  and  parts  of  the  superstructure,  the  starboard 
side  of  the  superstructure,  and  whatever  was  in  the  way  there.  The 
thing  opened  out  just  like  a  big  crater.  It  is  only  a  matter  of  judg- 
ment, of  course,  as  to  just  how  far  aft  that  came;  but  my  line  of  sight 
did  not  take  so  very  far  forward  of  the  line  of  the  after  end  of  the 
superstructure  from  where  I  was  sitting. 

Q.  It  is  only  a  question  of  separating  the  impression,  or  estimating 
the  interval  between  the  first  and  the  second  explosion,  and  whether 
the  first  one  could  have  produced  a  result  which  you  did  not  see  at  the 
time  of  the  second  explosion.  That  is,  the  wreckage  which  had  been 
produced  by  the  first  explosion  only  landed  in  its  place  after  the  second 
explosion? 

A.  After  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  Or  whether  the  result  of  the  second  explosion  was  what  you  sub- 
sequently saw  and  recognized  as  being  the  result  of  either  the  first 
explosion  or  of  both  explosions,  or  of  only  the  second  explosion.  That 
is,  you  can  not  separate  the  result  of  the  two  explosions? 

A.  No;  I  could  not  separate  them  fully,  of  course,  but  I  know  that 
my  line  of  sight  was  perfectly  clear  when  I  saw  this  thing  open  up. 

Q.  Un  til  the  second  explosion  occurred  ? 

A.  Yes;  they  followed  so  closely  on  each  other  that  of  course  it  is  a 
mere  matter  of  impression  as  to  how  close  they  were  together. 

Q.  Yes;  I  am  aware  of  that. 

A.  I  turned  my  head,  and  before  I  got  my  head  around  I  heard  the 
second  one,  and  I  just  got  around  in  time  to  see. 

Q.  You  saw  that  your  view  at  that  time  was  unobstructed. 

A.  Was  unobstructed.  Of  course  it  was  an  instantaneous  action  on 
my  part — as  near  as  a  human  action  can  be  to  look — around. 

Q.  Why  do  you  think  the  second  explosion  occurred  on  the  starboard 
side? 

A.  Because  I  saw  the  starboard  side  of  the  deck  go  up  in  the  air, 
and  everything  about  there  going  up.  As  soon  as  I  got  on  top  of  the 
after  superstructure,  I  saw  this  mass  of  wreckage,  and  foam,  and 
things  skimming  in  a  semicircle  around  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Could  you  see  the  port  side  from  the  superstructure  after  you  got 
up  there? 

A.  No;  the  wreckage  and  other  things  were  in  the  way  from  where 
I  was.  I  did  not  see  that  until  a  minute  or  two  after  that,  when  I 
climbed  forward  on  the  wreck  of  the  middle  superstructure.  Then  I 
saw  the  port  side,  too.    That  was  the  first  I  had  seen  of  the  port  side. 

Q.  Will  you  tell  us  what  your  impression  was  the  following  day,  or 
when  you  had  a  distinct  impression  of  the  wreck,  as  to  the  point  at 
which  the  explosion  had  taken  place. 

A.  In  the  morning  1  went  around  the  wreck  when  it  was  not  abso- 
lutely full  daylight.  Mr.  Wainwright  and  myself  got  in  a  boat  and 
pulled  around  it,  and  my  impression  that  morning  in  this  darkness  was 
that 

Q.  But  you  were  there  how  long  afterwards? 

A.  I  was  not  near  the  wreck  at  all  after  that.  I  watched  it  through 
glasses  as  I  was  coming  out  on  the  steamer,  but  the  steamer  did  not 
pass  very  near  the  wreck.  I  was  in  doubt  as  to  just  what  that  mass  of 
wreckage  that  is  turned  up  there  was  at  that  time.  I  knew  those  were 
beams,  and  that  was  a  part  of  the  superstructure,  but  whether  that  was 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  125 

the  main  deck  in  the  after  end  of  the  superstructure,  turned  up  in  the 
air,  or  whether  it  was  the  port  end  of  the  forward  part  of  the  super- 
structure that  was  turned  up  in  the  air  I  could  not  exactly  make  out. 
I  could  not  place  exactly  what  that  protuberance  was  that  stuck  out 
there  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  You  know  now,  do  you1? 

A.  I  know  what  it  is ;  yes.  I  have  studied  the  thing  out  since,  and 
I  know  it  is  the  base  of  the  conning  tower.  I  thought  that  is  what  it 
looked  like,  but  I  could  not  see  that  morning  how  it  could  get  there. 
I  could  not  place  it.  I  thought  it  might  have  been  the  starboard  side 
of  the  deck,  aft,  blown  up  in  the  air,  with  the  starboard  ends  of  the 
beam  sticking  up.  At  the  distance  I  saw  it  from  the  steamer  I  took  it 
that  it  might  have  been  one  of  the  drying  rooms — I  think  they  call 
them — around  the  smokestack,  or  something  of  that  kind;  but  I  saw 
that  the  whole  ship  was  gone  from  the  cranes  forward. 

Q.  Bearing  in  mind  the  second  impression,  or  the  impressions  you 
got  the  following  day  of  the  condition  of  the  wreck,  does  that  accord 
with  the  impression  made  upon  you  at  the  time  the  explosion  occurred? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  my  impression  has  never  changed  at  all,  except  in  that 
1  was  not  sure  at  the  first  instant  just  where  the  explosion  took  place, 
whether  it  was  more  to  starboard  or  more  to  port. 

Q.  Your  impression  was  at  first 

A.  My  impression  at  first  was  that  it  was  a  little  starboard. 

Q.  That  it  was  on  the  starboard  side,  and  now,  after  knowing  the 
position  of  the  wreck,  you  are  still  of  the  same  impression,  are  you? 

A.  No ;  I  am  of  the  impression  that  the  explosion  was  on  the  port 
side. 

Q.  Yes;  but  the  second  one? 

A.  The  second  explosion,  I  am  under  the  impression,  was  on  the 
starboard  side.  It  may  have  been,  of  course,  that  the  main  explosion 
at  first  threw  a  lot  of  these  things  out  to  starboard,  but  I  could  not  see 
that. 

Q.  I  would  like  to  ask  a  question  about  the  agitation  of  the  water. 
What  did  you  notice  about  the  agitation  of  the  water  f 

A.  I  just  noticed  a  semicircular  space  of  water  opposite  the  star- 
board side.  It  was  just  a  mass  of  foam  and  wreckage.  There  were 
quite  a  lot  of  groaning  men  in  it.  It  extended  out,  I  thought  at  the 
time,  about  75  yards. 

Q.  Was  there  any  wave? 

A.  There  was  no  big  wave;  no.    There  would  not  be  any  wave. 

Q.  How  close  to  the  port  side  of  the  magazine  was  any  of  the  powder 
stowed — I  mean  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine? 

A.  The  6  inch  reserve  magazine  was  well  in.  Just  the  exact  dis- 
tance I  do  not  know;  but  it  was  well  in  from  the  side  of  the  ship.  It 
was  on  the  port  side  of  amidships. 

Q.  I  mean  from  the  coal  bunker  bulkhead,  which  is  the  outboard 
bulkhead  of  the  magazine? 

A.  I  do  not  remember. 

Q.  You  did  not  notice  any  smoke  or  flame  rising  above  the  deck 
until  the  second  explosion  occurred  ? 

A.  I  did  not;  but  I  could  not  see  anything  on  the  port  side  at  all. 

Q.  You  did  not  notice? 

A.  I  did  not  notice,  because  I  could  not  see  anything,  except  on  the 
starboard  side. 

Q.  I  mean  above  the  deck.  I  do  not  refer  to  either  side.  You  did 
not  notice  any  smoke  or  flame  rising  above  the  decks  until  the  second 
explosion  occurred? 


126  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

A..  No;  I  could  not  see. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  When  did  you  see  the  steam  launch  last,  or  did  you  see  her  at 
all? 
A.  I  didn't  notice  her  that  night  at  all. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which 
he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon 
he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss 
matters  pertaining  to  the  trial. 

Lieut.  George  P.  Blow,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court  and  was  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  George  P.  Blow,  lieutenant,  United  States  Navy,  attached  to  the 
IT.  S.  battle  ship  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  have  been  in  the  Maine  since  September,  1895,  I  think  it  was. 

Q.  As  what? 

A.  As  lieutenant  and  watch  officer. 

Q.  What  division  have  you"? 

A.  I  had  the  fourth  division  first,  and  later  the  third  division,  in 
charge  of  the  after  turret. 

Q.  When  did  you  last  have  gunnery  drill  in  the  Maine? 

A.  On  Monday. 

Q.  The  day  previous  to  the  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  all  powder  that  was  sent  up  sent  below  and  properly  stowed 
away? 

A.  No  powder  was  sent  up,  sir. 

Q.  While  you  were  watch  officer  of  the  Maine  did  you  ever  notice 
any  hostile  demonstrations  afloat,  in  the  way  of  boats  attempting  to 
approach  the  vessel  at  night  that  had  to  be  warned  off? 

A.  No,  sir;  nothing  hostile.  I  have  noticed  a  number  of  shore 
boats  which  were  warned  off  by  the  sentries ;  but  nothing  of  a  hostile 
nature. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  direction  in  which  the  Maine  was  heading  at 
the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  know  the  direction,  approximately. 

Q.  Was  that  an  unusual  heading,  from  your  experience  during  your 
stay  in  that  harbor,  for  that  ship? 

A.  Rather  unusual;  yes,  sir.  As  a  rule,  we  swung  so  that  the 
Alfonso,  which  was  lying  at  the  buoy  inside  of  us,  was  either  on  our 
port  quarter  or  starboard  quarter.    That  was  the  customary  heading. 

Q.  Were  you  officer  of  the  deck  from  4  to  8  p.  m.  the  night  of  this 
explosion  ? 

A.  I  was  the  officer  of  the  day — officer  on  day's  duty. 

Q.  Were  you  on  duty  when  the  reports  at  8  p.  m.  were  made? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  127 

Q.  Who  made  them? 

A.  Do  you  meau  the  regular  reports  to  the  executive  officer? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  The  usual  reports  were  made  at  the  mast  by  the  warrant  officers, 
and  by  petty  officers  in  charge  of  their  departments. 

Q.  What  reports  were  made  to  the  officer  of  the  deck  in  your  pres- 
ence or  hearing? 

A.  The  reports  were  made  that  the  captain,  the  executive  officer,  and 
other  officers  were  on  board. 

Q.  I  refer  to  the  master  at  arms'  reports  about  lights  and  tires. 

A.  The  usual  report  was  made  and  repeated  by  Mr.  Cluverius,  before 
the  deck  was  delivered  over  to  the  orderly,  that  the  lights  and  fires 
were  secure  and  everything  was  secure. 

Q.  You  were  officer  of  the  day  of  the  Maine  on  February  15  up  to  8 
p.  in.,  and  you  consider  that  everything  was  secure  below  on  the  ship 
at  8  p.m.? 

A.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  everything  was  secure  as  usual. 

Q.  Did  you,  as  an  officer  who  had  been  on  the  ship  for  a  long  while, 
have  perfect  confidence  in  the  reports  of  these  men  that  everything 
below  was  secure? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  in  my  room,  writing. 

Q.  Where  is  your  room  situated? 

A.  My  room  is  the  after  room  on  the  starboard  side,  in  the  wardroom 
proper,  just  forward  of  the  bulkhead  separating  it  from  the  after  com- 
partment. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  number  of  that  bulkhead? 

A.  No,  sir.  (After  looking  at  the  plan.)  It  was  just  abaft  of  frame 
iSTo.  76  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Will  you  state  to  the  court  what  you  experienced  during  that 
explosion?  We  wish  to  know  what  you  felt,  what  you  heard,  or  what 
you  saw. 

A.  I  was  writing  at  the  time,  and  heard  forward,  and  apparently  at 
some  distance — that  is  to  say,  well  up  in  the  bow,  as  far  as  I  could  judge 
from  the  sound — an  explosion. 

Instantly  the  lights  went  out.  I  rushed  out  of  my  room  to  see  the 
cause  of  it,  and  before  I  could  get  more  than  probably  0  feet  from  my 
room  a  second  and  much  more  violent  explosion  followed.  Thisexplosiou 
I  would  describe  as  being  a  continuous  explosion,  lasting  for  some  sec- 
onds, and  accompanied  by  the  falling  of  lights,  electric  fittings,  furni- 
ture, and  by  a  crashing  and  rending  of  metal,  and  immediately  by  a 
sharp  heel  of  the  ship  to  port;  the  sound  of  rushing  water  from  for- 
ward, and  the  cries  and  screams  of  men  from  about  amidships.  My 
first  impression  was  that  we  had  been  fired  on,  and  I  remember  feeling 
surprised  that  it  should  have  been  by  such  a  heavy  gun.  When  the 
second  explosion  occurred,  followed  by  the  listing  of  the  ship,  1  recog- 
nized the  fact  that  the  ship  was  sinking,  and  had  been  blown  up. 

My  impulse  had  been  at  first  to  go  to  my  quarters,  but  at  the  second 
explosion  I  abandoned  all  thought  of  this,  and  realized  that  it  was  a 
question  of  whether  I  could  reach  the  deck  or  not  before  the  ship  sank. 
A  sharp  heel  of  the  ship,  as  I  rushed  forward  feeling  my  way  along 
the  starboard  bulkhead,  caused  me  to  lose  my  way  amidst  the  wreck- 
age, and  for  probably  a  moment  I  was  confused  as  to  my  position.  I 
soon  found  the  bulkhead  again,  and,  feeling  my  way  along,  reached  a 
small  china  jar  on  top  of  the  starboard  steam  heater,  and  recognizing 


128  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

this  by  feeling,  found  the  starboard  door  leading  forward.  This  door 
was  closed  and  jammed.  It  could  not  be  opened.  I  then  felt  my  way 
across  the  deck  to  the  port  door.  The  list  of  the  ship,  which  had  prob- 
ably closed  the  starboard  door,  had  kept  the  port  door  open,  and  I  had 
no  difficulty  in  finding  it.  Stepping  through  the  door,  I  reached  the 
ladder,  and  ran  into  someone  in  the  dark. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  What  ladder  was  that?     The  one  just  outside  the  bulkhead? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  just  outside  the  bulkhead,  leading  up  to  the  wardroom 
proper. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  It  leads  into  the  cabin  passage? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  We  both  fell,  owing  to  the  inclination  of  the  deck,  but, 
helping  each  other  up  again,  we  immediately  crawled  up  the  ladder, 
which  was  then  nearly  vertical.  1  am  under  the  impression  that  this 
ladder  fell  immediately  afterwards,  as  I  heard  a  crash  behind  us.  The 
water  was  then  rushing  in  on  the  berth  deck,  though  it  was  not  quite 
up  to  the  ladder,  as  she  was  heeled  to  port.  Beaching  the  main  deck, 
I  felt  my  way  through  the  starboard  door  in  the  after  superstructure 
out  on  deck,  and  was  surprised  to  find  that  everything  was  pitch  dark, 
as  dark  as  it  had  been  below. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  That  starboard  door  opens  right  out  on  the  starboard  deck? 

A.  It  opens  right  out  on  the  starboard  deck;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  After  passing  through  that  you  found  it  dark? 

A.  I  found  it  perfectly  dark  there.  I  was  surprised  at  the  time  to 
find  it  so  dark.  This  was  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  the  quarter- 
deck awning  had  been  dragged  down  by  the  fall  of  the  third  cutter.  As 
I  passed  through  the  door  I  ran  against  someone  hanging  from  the 
poop  deck  rail,  who  asked  me  to  give  him  a  push  up  on  deck.  This  I 
did,  and  believing  that  there  must  be  some  good  cause  for  his  having 
taken  that  way  of  reaching  safety,  I  quickly  followed.  At  this  time 
the  main  deck  was  still  above  water.  On  reaching  the  poop  deck  I 
glanced  forward  and  found  the  whole  forward  part  of  the  ship  a  mass 
of  confused  wreckage,  and  apparently  submerged  up  to  and  above  the 
main  deck.  There  were  about  a  dozen  men  only  to  be  seen  on  the 
poop  deck.  Among  these  I  recognized  the  captain  and  the  executive 
officer,  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainright,  who  were  giving  orders  to 
get  out  the  boats  for  the  purpose  of  saving  the  lives  of  the  men  in  the 
water. 

On  the  starboard  side  the  beam  and  forward  there  were  cries  for 
help.  Kealizing  at  a  glance  that  my  boat,  the  third  cutter,  and  that 
all  the  boats,  in  fact,  forward,  were  gone,  I  turned  aft  to  help  to  get 
out  the  only  boats  remaining.  I  found  the  gig  manned  and  about  to 
be  lowered.  1  lowered  the  forward  fall,  and  was  surprised  to  find  that 
the  boat  only  went  down  about  6  or  8  feet.  Thinking  the  stopper 
might  have  passed,  or  the  blocks  jammed,  I  asked  the  man  in  the  bow 
if  everything  was  all  right.  He  replied  yes.  I  asked  him  why  the 
boat  would  not  go  down.  He  informed  me  that  the  boat  was  afloat. 
By  that  time  the  water  had  nearly  reached  the  top  of  the  superstruc- 
ture deck.  I  then  went  forward  again,  and  noticed  that  the  wreckage 
had  broken  into  flames,  and  I  heard  someone,  I  think  the  executive 
officer,  say  to  the  captain.  "There  is  the  wreck  of  the  fire  ship  which 


DESTEUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE.  129  ; 

they  have  sent  down  on  us,"  pointing  to  the  wreckage  forward,  which 
was  now  illuminated  from  the  burning  cellulose. 

I  then  went  to  the  port  side  to  assist  in  lowering  the  barge.  I  found 
that  she  had  already  been  lowered  and  was  afloat.  Before  that,  how- 
ever, I  would  like  to  insert  something.  I  am  a  little  too  fast.  Before 
going  forward  again  one  of  the  midshipmen — I  think  it  was  Mr.  Olu- 
verius — came  and  asked  me  if  he  could  be  of  any  service.  I  told  him 
to  jump  in  the  gig  and  take  charge  and  save  what  life  he  could  on  the 
starboard  side,  which  I  believe  he  did.  After  this  I  went  to  the  port 
side  to  assist  in  lowering  the  barge  and  I  found  that  she  was  already 
in  the  water  and  afloat.  There  were  already,  I  think,  four  men  in  her, 
however,  to  man  her.  So  I  went  back  again  and  called  several  who 
were  standing  on  the  poop  and  put  them  in  the  boat,  and  afterwards 
got  in  myself.  I  took  charge  of  the  boat,  ordering  the  man  at  the  helm 
to  steer  around  on  the  starboard  side,  where  most  of  the  cries  for  help 
had  been  heard.  After  shoving  off  I  fouud  Lieutenant  Jungen  was  in 
the  boat,  and  he  being  my  senior  I  turned  the  boat  over  to  him  and 
requested  that  he  put  me  back.  He  said  it  was  impossible,  which  was 
perfectly  right.  He  pulled  completely  around  the  ship,  and  only  suc- 
ceeded in  picking  up  one  man  on  the  starboard  side,  as  we  became 
involved  in  the  wreckage  and  debris  which  was  floating  from  a  beam 
around  the  bow.  The  barge  being  very  long,  and  only  half  manned, 
was  very  difficult  to  maneuver.  We  were  continually  backing  and 
pulling  out. 

In  that  way  we  did  not  get  around  as  quickly  as  we  might  have  done. 
By  this  time  the  wreckage  was  all  in  flames,  and  I  called  Mr.  Jungen's 
attention  to  the  fact  that  I  thought  I  saw  men  on  the  forecastle,  as  I 
supposed  it  to  be,  and  asked  him  to  pull  in  there  and  see  if  he  could 
not  get  them  off.  We  headed  in  for  the  wreckage,  but  ran  into  other 
wreckage,  which  we  found  out  there  to  be  the  submerged  portion  of  the 
forecastle  and  forward  superstructure.  We  backed  out  and  again 
pulled  in  toward  the  flames.  We  then  found  that  it  was  the  after  part 
of  the  middle  superstructure,  abreast  of  the  port  crane.  There  were 
several  boats  there,  which  had  already  taken  off  all  the  men,  so  we 
pulled  around  on  the  port  quarter,  and  again  reported  to  the  captain 
that  the  boat  was  there  ready  to  take  off  anybody  else.  In  the  mean- 
while, the  captain  had  ordered  the  ship  to  be  abandoned.  Mr.  Wain- 
wright  asked  us  if  we  were  all  right.  We  told  him  yes,  and  asked  the 
captain  if  he  would  not  get  in  the  barge.  He  replied,  "  No ;  I  want  my 
own  boat,"  and  then  ordered  all  of  our  boats  to  go  on  board  of  the  Ward 
Line  steamer  the  City  of  Washington.  He  then  put  his  orderly  and 
everyone  else  into  the  gig  and  got  into  the  gig  himself.  We  obeyed 
orders  and  went  aboard  the  City  of  Washington.  Do  you  wish  me  to 
go  any  further? 

By  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  No.  Will  you  please  describe  your  sensation  of  the  hrst  shock  a 
little  more  fully  f 

A.  The  first  shock  was  not  a  very  severe  one,  although  it  was  suffi- 
cient to  put  all  of  the  lights  out.  It  impressed  me  as  sounding,  as 
nearly  as  I  can  recollect,  like  a  10-inch  gun  fired  close  aboard.  My 
recollection  is  that  I  was  surprised  that  they  should  fire  on  us  with  such 
large  guns  so  close  aboard. 

Q.  I  suppose  you  had  heard  no  report  in  connection  with  this — what 
would  you  have  supposed?    What  was  the  shock  like? 

A.  It  was  a  dull  concussion ;  not  like  the  shock  of  a  rapid-firing  gun 
S.  Doc.  207 9 


130     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

or  a  6  inch  gun.  It  was  longer  and  deeper  in  tone,  and  also  with  more 
of  a  shake. 

Q.  Did  this  first  explosion,  or  whatever  it  was,  list  the  ship  any? 

A.  I  think  not. 

Q.  By  the  time  you  had  reached  the  deck  in  the  method  you  have 
described,  had  the  second  explosion  finished  completely1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  by  the  time  you  reached  the  deck  there  was  no  more  upshoot 
of  flame  or  debris  or  anything"? 

A.  Only  a  few  cinders  and  sparks. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  When  you  got  up  on  the  poop  deck,  did  you  notice  whether  the 
men  who  had  been  thrown  into  the  water  were  all  on  one  side  of  the 
ship  or  not? 

A.  My  impression  was  that  those  in  the  water  were  all  on  the  star- 
board side;  but  I  was  on  the  starboard  side  myself,  and  it  is  possible 
that  there  may  have  been  men  on  the  port  side  whom  I  did  not  hear. 
That  was  my  impression,  and  I  ordered  the  boat  to  pull  to  the  star- 
board side  to  pick  up  the  men  rather  than  the  port  side. 

Q.  How  did  you  reach  the  starboard  side? 

A.  We  pulled,  around  the  stern,  sir.  The  stern  was  cleared  of  wreck- 
age and  debris.    We  had  no  difficulty  around  the  stern. 

Q.  Yet  the  ship,  you  say,  was  listed  sharply  to  port  at  this  time? 

A.  To  port  at  this  time.  She  had  straightened  up  more,  which  led 
me  to  believe  that  she  was  on  bottom. 

Q.  But  she  was  listed? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  she  was  still  listed;  not  so  much,  I  think,  as  when  she 
was  sinking. 

Q.  From  where  you  were  could  you  tell  from  the  shock,  etc.,  about 
where  the  explosion  occurred? 

A.  Only  that  the  explosion  seemed  to  me  to  come  from  well  forward. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  from  which  side  it  came  from  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  had  an  impression,  but  I  do  not  think  it  is  strong 
enough.  My  impression  was  at  the  time — that  is  to  saj ,  my  impression 
now  is — that  it  came  from  port,  if  there  is  any  distinction;  but  I  do 
not  think  it  was  strong  enough  at  the  time  to  notice — simply  that  it 
was  an  explosion  from  forward. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieut.  Carl  W.  Jtjngen,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Carl  W.  Jungen,  lieutenant,  United  States  Navy,  attached  to  the 

U.  S.  S.  Maine. 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  131 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  aboard  the  Maine  ? 

A.  Nearly  two  years  and  a  half,  sir. 

Q.  Ever  since  her  commission? 

A.  Ever  since  her  commission.    I  went  into  commission  with  her. 

Q.  What  have  been  your  duties  since  that  time? 

A.  Watch  and  division  officer,  sir. 

Q.  What  division  did  you  have  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  ? 

A.  I  had  command  of  the  second  division,  the  forward  turret. 

Q.  How  long  had  you  had  that  division? 

A.  About  a  year  and  a  half,  sir. 

Q.  When  did  you  last  have  gunnery  drill  on  board  the  Maine  f 

A.  On  the  Thursday  previous  to  the  accident.  I  don't  remember  the 
date — general  quarters. 

Q.  Did  you  not  have  gunnery  drill  the  day  before,  on  Monday? 

A.  ^es,  sir;  we  did. 

Q.  After  that  drill,  was  all  powder  that  was  gotten  up  properly  sent 
below  and  stowed  away? 

A.  We  didn't  get  up  any  powder  at  all  at  that  drill. 

Q.  Then  there  was  no  powder  outside  the  magazines,  as  far  as  you 
know,  subsequent  to  the  last  time  it  was  gotten  up? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  It  was  all  properly  stowed  in  the  magazine  ? 

A.  All  properly  stowed  away.  That  is,  I  have  not  charp-e  of  the 
stowing  away,  but  there  was  none  gotten  up. 

Q.  Was  there  anything  kept  in  the  loading  or  passing  rooms  which 
should  not  be  there? 

A.  No,  sir;  nothing  that  should  not  be  there,  although  there  was  an 
extra  supply  of  10-inch  shell  ready  for  immediate  use,  which  had  been 
gotten  up  on  the  night  that  we  started  over  for  Havana  from  Tortugas. 

Q.  Who  was  the  gunner's  mate  of  your  division  ? 

A.  Eieger.    I  don't  remember  his  first  name. 

Q.  He  was  a  reliable  man  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  he  was. 

Q.  Do  you  know  a  seaman  by  the  name  of  Neilson,  who  used  to  be  on 
the  steam  launch  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  do,  sir. 

Q.  What  duties  was  he  performing  just  lately  before  the  explosion? 

A.  I  don't  know,  sir,  that  he  was  performing  any  special  duties  other 
than  those  of  seaman  in  the  forecastle,  where  he  belonged. 

Q.  What  was  the  man's  record  and  character1? 

A.  Excellent,  sir. 

Q.  Was  he  a  very  reliable  man? 

A.  I  should  say  he  was. 

Q.  At  the  time  of  the  explosion  he  was  in  Lieutenant  Jenkins's  divi- 
sion, was  he  not? 

A.  Yes,  in  the  first  division. 

Q.  And  the  regular  captain  of  the  hold,  was  he  in  the  ship? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  regular  captain  of  the  hold  was  sent  to  the  marine 
hospital  some  days  before  we  left  Key  West,  on  or  about  the  20th  of 
January. 

Q.  I  have  reason  to  believe,  and  I  shall  prove  before  the  court  that 
this  seaman,  Neilson,  was  acting  captain  of  the  hold  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion.  I  therefore  ask  you  his  character.  It  was  thoroughly 
reliable? 

A.  I  consider  him  so,  sir. 

Q.  While  officer  of  the  deck  of  the  Maine,  in  the  harbor  of  Havana, 


132  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

did  you  ever  notice  any  hostile  demonstration  afloat,  in  the  way  of  boats 
attempting  to  approach  the  ship,  that  had  to  be  warned  off? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  never  did. 

Q.  From  your  knowledge  of  the  swinging  of  the  ship,  do  you  think 
that  at  the  time  of  her  explosion  she  was  swinging  in  an  unusual 
direction  ? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  that  positively  without  referring  to  the  log' book, 
but  I  think  not. 

Q.  Were  you  below  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  was,  sir. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  I  was  sitting  in  the  mess  room,  the  after  part,  at  the  small  table. 
Assuming  that  the  ship  was  heading  north,  I  was  sitting  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  that  table,  talking  to  Mr.  Jenkins  and  Mr.  Holman.  Mr. 
Holman  was  sitting  at  nearly  the  opposite  corner,  and  Mr.  Jenkins,  I 
think,  was  standing  at  the  time. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  to  the  court  your  experiences  of  this 
explosion,  all  you  saw,  heard,  and  felt  up  to  the  time  that  the  whole 
thing  was  over? 

A.  I  had  just  arisen  from  my  seat.  I  had  finished  smoking  a  cigar 
which  I  had  in  a  cigar  holder.  I  had  flicked  the  cigar  out  of  it,  and  a 
piece  of  the  wrapper  was  adhering  to  the  inside,  which  I  pulled  out. 
As  I  pulled  that  out  the  explosion  occurred.  I  remember  that  dis- 
tinctly. It  was  not  an  explosion.  It  was  a  dull,  deafening  roar,  fol- 
lowed immediately  by  a  tremendous  crash,  and  it  seemed  as  though 
the  whole  ship  was  falling  to  pieces.  Mr.  Holman  jumped  up  and 
remarked,  "  We  have  been  torpedoed,"  which  was  the  general  impres- 
sion we  all  had.    He  added :  "  Follow  me." 

There  was  a  sufficient  interval  between  the  time  it  took  me  to  get 
from  that  end  of  the  table  to  the  door  opposite  in  the  mess  room  before 
the  lights  were  extinguished,  so  that  I  saw  what  appeared  to  me  a  thick 
dust  or  ashes  or  brown  smoke.  It  may  have  been  the  dust  that  was 
shaken  up  from  the  ship.  I  detected  no  odor,  nor  did  I  experience  any 
discomfort  from  it  in  passing  through  it.  This  lasted  long  enough — 
that  is,  the  interval  of  time  was  sufficiently  long — for  me  to  reach  the 
door  and  see  that.  I  believed  at  the  time  that  Mr.  Jenkins  and  Mr. 
Holman  were — I  know  Mr.  Holman  was  and  I  believe  Mr.  Jenkins  was — 
right  ahead  of  me.  Total  darkness  followed,  and  I  saw  no  one  then. 
I  stretched  out  my  hands.  I  knew  where  I  was,  but  I  was  afraid  of 
missing  my  way.  So  I  stretched  out  my  hands  to  catch  hold  of  the 
engine-room  hatch,  which  was  right  there.  I  followed  along  that  with 
my  other  hand  and  reached  the  ladder.  I  got  up  the  ladder  and  into 
the  passageway  of  the  after  superstructure.  I  thought  I  saw  the  cap- 
tain's orderly  there,  though  I  am  not  sure  it  was  he.  I  ran  out  through 
that  passageway  and  turned  to  the  left,  with  the  intention  of  going 
forward.  As  I  was  coming  up  the  ladder  I  heard  three — I  think  it  was 
three — distinct  explosions.  One  of  them  was  more  powerful  than  the 
other  two.  The  other  two  were  of  a  character  that  at  the  moment 
impressed  me  as  being  the  fire  of  a  6  or  8  inch  gun,  and  the  thought 
flashed  through  my  mind  that  we  were  being  fired  on,  after  being  tor- 
pedoed, by  the  Spanish  cruiser  that  was  lying  within  200  yards  of  us 
at  her  usual  buoy,  where  she  had  been  ever  since  we  had  been  in  there. 

Q.  The  A  l/onso  Doce  f 

A.  Yes,  sir.  As  I  turned  to  the  left,  I  encountered  a  mass  of  wreckage 
and  debris  which  had  fallen  on  top  of  the  awning.  The  awnings  had 
been  spread,  so  that  I  could  not  get  forward.    I  intended  at  the  time 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  133 

to  go  to  my  station  at  general  quarters.  Then  I  made  an  effort  to  get  to 
the  ladder,  and  I  could  not — the  ladder  that  leads  up  the  poop.  Find- 
ing that  I  could  not  get  on  the  poop  that  way,  I  turned  around  and 
caught  hold  of  the  iron  water-tight  door  on  that  superstructure — the 
door  that  I  had  passed  through — and  tried  to  raise  myself  on  it.  I 
failed  the  first  time,  and  then,  by  a  superhuman  effort,  I  swung  myself 
up.  I  got  my  foot  up  on  the  waterway,  and  then  I  let  go  one  hand  and 
grabbed  where  I  knew  there  ought  to  be  a  rail.  It  was  a  chain  that 
had  been  replaced  by  a  rail.  I  caught  hold  of  that  and  swung  myself 
up.  The  captain  and  the  executive  officer  were  on  deck  at  the  time. 
They  had  gotten  there  in  the  meanwhile,  and  I  heard  the  captain  give 
some  order  about  flooding  the  magazines. 

Mr.  Wainwright  made  the  remark,  "There  is  no  use  flooding  the  mag- 
azines; the  ship  is  sinking."  I,  myself,  then  realized  that  the  ship  was 
settling.  Then  the  captain  gave  the  order  to  lower  the  boats.  There 
were  very  few  people  on  the  poop  that  I  could  see.  I  groped  my  way  aft, 
over  the  skylights  and  the  wreckage  that  was  there,  to  the  barge.  I 
found  Mr.  Morris  at  the  forward  boat.  I  recognized  him  and  Mr.  Catlin 
at  the  after  boat.  I  directed  Mr.  Catlin  to  get  into  the  boat  and  see 
that  the  plug  was  in  it.  I  could  not  see  then.  There  was  a  dark  shadow, 
jl  suppose,  which  was  cast  on  the  water  by  the  light  forward,  and  I 
could  not  see  how  high  the  water  was  up  on  the  ship's  side.  He  said 
at  first  he  could  not  find  the  plug.  I  told  him  to  throw  the  grating  over- 
board and  see  if  he  could  not  get  at  it.  Finally  he  got  it,  and  I  reported 
that  the  boat  was  ready  for  lowering.  Without  waiting  for  further 
orders  I  lowered  the  boat.  I  lowered  it  about  8  feet,  I  suppose,  when  I 
sung  out  to  Mr.  Catlin  to  let  me  know  when  the  boat  was  in  the  water. 
»He  said  she  was  in  the  -water  then.  Then  the  sentry  on  the  poop,  who 
;had  loaded  his  rifle  when  the  explosion  took  place — he  had  orders  in  a 
sudden  emergency  to  load  his  rifle,  which  he  did — got  in  the  boat. 

There  were  two  men — I  don't  remember  who  they  were;  I  think  one 
of  them  was  a  mess  attendant  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Eush — who  I 
i  directed  to  get  in  the  boat.  Then  I  got  in  the  boat  myself  to  go  around 
and  help  pick  up  the  men  who  were  in  the  water.  There  was  a  great 
deal  of  hallooing  and  screaming  for  help.  As  I  was  about  to  shove 
!off,  only  having  four  people  in  the  boat,  Mr.  Morris  got  in.  The  pay- 
master and  the  chaplain,  and  Mr.  Blow,  and  another  man  appeared  at 
J  the  rail,  and  I  told  them  to  get  in.  It  was  the  barge — a  large  boat. 
I  They  got  in  and  they  all  took  oars,  and  I  took  the  boat  and  pulled 
around.  I  had  to  pull  around  clear  of  all  the  wreckage  that  had 
fallen  in  the  water,  which  was  very  thick,  like  the  driftwood  you  see 
sometimes  in  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  You  could  not  pull  through  it. 
You  had  to  pull  around  it.  We  pulled  around  on  the  starboard  side.  1 
saw  no  one  aft,  but  I  picked  up  a  man  opposite  the  forward  turret. 
Then  I  went  around  the  bows  of  the  ship,  or  what  has  since  transpired 
were  the  bows,  but  which  we  took  at  the  time  to  be  the  wreck  of  a  fire- 
ship,  because  I  heard  someone  remark  while  I  was  on  the  poop  that 
there  was  a  fire  ship  down  on  us.  I  worked  my  way  aft  on  the  star- 
board side  again  to  the  quarter,  and  the  ship  by  that  time  was,  as  near 
as  I  could  make  out,  sunk  until  the  upper  superstructure  was  flush 
with  the  water. 

There  were  several  boats  standing  by  to  take  the  captain  and  execu- 
tive officer,  who  were  the  last  people  to  leave,  as  I  remember.  I  offered 
the  captain  my  boat  and  he  said  he  wanted  to  go  in  his  own.  Other 
officers  offered  their  boats.  When  I  got  around  on  the  starboad  side, 
I  found  several  boats  there,  two  Spanish  boats,  and  two  boats  which  I 


134     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

took  to  be  merchant  boats,  and  some  smaller  boats  from  shore.  Besides 
our  two  boats,  I  believe,  and  the  second  whaleboat,  which  had  been 
lowered,  they  all  had  survivors,  people  they  had  picked  up.  When  I 
got  around  to  the  quarter  again,  the  captain  gave  the  order,  before  he 
got  in  bis  boat,  for  all  the  boats  to  go  alongside  the  Ward  Line  steamer. 
I  shoved  off  then  with  the  people  I  had  in  the  boat  and  went  alongside. 
I  put  this  man  on  board,  and  just  then  it  began  to  rain  quite  hard.  It 
rained  harder  a  little  later,  for  about  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  I  should 
say.  Then  I  got  all  the  officers  and  the  wounded  man  out.  I  directed 
them  to  go  ahead,  as  the  other  boats  were  coming  alongside.  Then  I 
went  down  into  the  cabin,  and  my  first  thought  was  to  see  if  Doctor 
Henneberger  was  there.  I  found  him  attending  the  wounded.  Mr. 
Blow  went  down  to  assist  him.     That  is  all  that  I  can  think  of. 

Q.  In  the  first  part  of  your  evidence  you  spoke  of  an  interval  several 
times.    What  interval  do  you  refer  to? 

A.  It  seemed  to  me  an  appreciable  interval  between  the  roar  and  the 
crash  and  the  extinguishment  of  the  lights,  which  was,  as  I  say,  suffi- 
ciently long  to  enable  me  to  travel  from  that  end  of  the  table  to  the 
door,  which  was  probably  8  feet,  but  the  way  I  went  around  the  table 
it  was  probably  a  longer  distance. 

Q.  Did  you  not  testify  to  two  shocks,  two  explosions? 

A.  I  testified  to  the  original  roar  and  crash,  and  then,  as  I  remember, 
three  distinct  explosions,  one  of  them  being  more  violent  than  the  rest 
of  them.  The  other  two  that  I  speak  of  reminded  me  of  the  firing  of 
a  6  or  8  inch  gun. 

Q.  Will  you  describe  a  little  more  distinctly  the  three  different  explo- 
sions ;  how  they  took  place  and  the  interval  between  them  ! 

A.  I  can  not  give  you  a  proper  conception  of  the  time. 

Q.  You  have  not  stated  yet  whether  the  big  explosion  was  the  first 
or  the  second  or  the  third,  and  you  have  not  stated  definitely  at  which 
time  the  lights  went  out.     Which  explosion  came  first;  the  small  one? 

A.  The  first  explosion,  as  I  said,  was  a  dull,  deafening  roar,  followed 
immediately  by  a  crash.  By  the  time  I  got  to  the  door,  I  should  say, 
the  lights  all  went  out.  Then  there  was  another  explosion,  which  was 
more  violent  than  any  explosion  I  had  heard,  that  I  could  not  liken  to 
anything  except  possibly  the  explosion  of  a  magazine. 

Q.  When  did  the  lights  go  out  in  reference  to  this  second  explosion! 

A.  About  simultaneously. 

Q.  Then  you  think  the  dynamo  may  have  been  destroyed  at  the  second 
explosion. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  not  by  the  first? 

A.  Not  by  the  first. 

Q.  Was  there  any  perceptible  list  or  lifting  of  the  ship  at  the  first 
explosion  ? 

A.  I  did  not  notice  that. 

Q.  Did  you  locate  in  your  own  mind  this  first  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  located  it  on  the  starboard  side,  as  I  supposed. 

Q.  Forward  or  aft? 

A.  Starboard  forward,  and  as  I  supposed  about  under  the  forward 
turret. 

Q.  That  was  your  impression  ? 

A.  That  was  my  impression. 

Q.  And  the  second  one;  where  did  you  locate  that? 

A.  Forward;  but  I  could  not  tell  whether  it  was  a  magazine  or 
whether  it  was  a  second  explosion  similar  to  the  first. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  135 

Q.  By  the  time  you  reached  the  deck  the  explosions  had  finished? 

A.  The  explosion  had  finished ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  As  to  the  boats  in  the  water ;  were  there  more  on  one  side  than 
on  the  other,  and  which  side? 

A.  I  couldn't  tell  you  that,  sir;  because  when  I  went  around  to  the 
stern  of  the  ship  I  only  saw  one  man  in  the  water  on  the  starboard 
side. 

Q.  You  went  around  on  the  port  side  from  starboard  ? 

A.  I  went  around;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Why  did  you  not  go  right  out  to  port? 

A.  Because  I  thought  the  explosion  was  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  You  heard  the  hallooing  more  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  I  didn't  hear  any  hallooing  at  first.  My  attention  was  called  to 
it.  The  men  were  yelling,  and  it  appeared  to  me  to  come  from  the 
other  side  of  the  ship. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  When  did  you  first  notice  the  list  of  the  ship? 

A.  I  didn't  notice  that  until  I  caught  hold  of  the  door  to  go  up  on 
the  superstructure.    Then  I  noticed  that  the  ship  listed. 

Q.  After  you  had  been  up  through 

A.  Up  over  the  ladder  and  through  this  passageway  to  turn  to  go 
forward. 

Q.  Which  ladder  did  you  go  up  from  the  berth  deck  to  the  main  deck  ? 

A.  The  ladder  that  is  usually  designated  as  the  wardroom  ladder. 

Q.  Which  one  is  that? 

A.  That  goes  up  from  forward  of  the  water-tight  bulkhead  separat- 
ing the  wardroom  proper  from  the  after  torpedo  room. 

Q.  That  is  not  quite  the  answer  I  want.  Was  it  the  starboard  lad- 
der? Did  it  land  you  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  main  deck  or  the 
port  side? 

A.  It  landed  me  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  main  deck. 

Q.  So  you  did  not  notice  that  that  ladder  was  unusually  steep? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

Q.  You  did  not  notice  whether  it  was  or  not? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Are  there  two  ladders  there  ? 

A.  There  are  two  ladders  there,  alongside  of  each  other.  It  is  really 
all  one  ladder.    There  is  a  crossbar  from  the  hatch  to  the  grating. 

Q.  The  ladders  lead  the  same  way? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  ladders  lead  from  port  to  starboard. 

Q.  To  make  it  perfectly  clear,  between  these  two  heavy  explosions 
you  had  time  after  the  first  explosion  to  turn  around  and  go  about 
10  feet? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  so  it  appeared  to  me. 

Q.  The  other  explosions  to  which  yon  refer  were  smaller  ones? 

A.  Smaller;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  occurred  some  time  after? 

A.  They  occurred  while  I  was  going  up  the  ladder  and  before  I  got 
to  the  superstructure  door. 

Q.  But  the  fact  that  there  were  at  first  two  explosions  made  a  dis 
tinct  impression  upon  your  mind  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  would  you  designate  as  the  more  severe  explosion,  the  first 
one  or  the  second  one? 

A.  The  first  one;  because  the  crash  and  everything  came  with  that, 


136  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

and  the  second  one  sounded  as  though  it  were  an  explosion  without 
being  attended  with  the  same  effects.  Where  I  was  at  the  time,  as  I 
found  out  afterwards,  toward  that  part  of  the  ship  the  smokestacks  had 
fallen — and  I  suppose  they  made  as  much  crash  as  anything — one  on 
one  side  and  one  on  the  other. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  I  want  to  ask  you  about  two  more  men  in  the  ship,  as  you  have 
been  in  her  since  her  commission.  Sailmaker's  Mate  Boos — is  he  on 
board  ship  a  reliable  man1? 

A.  In  his  duties  he  is  a  very  reliable  man.  He  was  sometimes  given 
to  insobriety  when  he  went  on  liberty,  but  I  never  noticed  anything  on 
board  ship. 

Q.  I  believe  he  was  one  of  the  two  men  who  made  the  8  p.  m.  reports 
to  the  executive  officer ! 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  do  you  consider  Master-at-Arms  White  as  to  reliability? 

A.  He  seemed  to  be  a  very  reliable  man — very  attentive  to  his  duties. 

The  judge  advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Amon  Bronson,  Jr.,  TJ.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached? 

A.  Amon  Bronson,  jr.,  naval  cadet,  attached  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  ? 

A.  Since  May  17,  1897. 

Q.  What  duties  have  you  performed  during  that  time? 

A.  I  have  performed  boat  duty,  deck  duty — that  is,  supervision  as  the 
commissioned  officer  of  the  deck — and  mate  of  the  deck. 

Q.  Mate  of  the  upper  deck? 

A.  Mate  of  the  upper  deck  and  mate  of  the  main  deck. 

Q.  What  division  were  you  in  last? 

A.  The  second  division,  all  the  time  I  was  on  the  ship. 

Q.  That  is  the  forward  turret  division? 

A.  The  forward  turret  division. 

Q.  At  all  times  when  gunnery  occurred  in  that  division,  has  powder 
always  been  sent  below  properly  after  the  exercise  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  was  lying  in  my  bunk  in  my  room. 

Q.  Which  room  is  that? 

A.  The  forward  room  of  the  steerage. 

Q.  Please  describe  what  you  heard  and  felt  and  saw. 

A.  My  first  impression  was  that  a  salute  was  being  fired.  That  was 
before  the  crash  came.    That  is  the  impression  which  1  have  now.   That 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     137 

was  the  first  thought  that  entered  my  mind.  Then  my  bunk  was  lifted 
beneath  me,  and  the  ship  listed  over  to  port.  The  lights  were  out,  and 
I  heard  the  water  rushing  outside  in  the  passageway.  I  could  hear  the 
cries  of  the  men  in  the  marines'  compartment.  For  a  very  small  amount 
of  time  I  listened  to  these  cries. 

Q.  When  you  thought  there  was  a  salute  being  fired,  did  you  feel  a 
shock  of  the  ship  ! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  just  merely  the  first  idea  that  flashed  through 
my  mind.    I  felt  a  tremendous  shock. 

Q.  How  long  after  that  shock  did  you  feel  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  can  not  state,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  a  distinct  interval? 

A.  I  am  not  prepared  to  state,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  a  list  of  the  ship  at  the  first  explosion? 

A.  Almost  simultaneously  with  the  explosion. 

Q.  There  was  a  list? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  way? 

A.  To  port. 

Q.  The  ship  settled  to  port? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  she  never  was  lifted  up  ? 

A.  I  was  lying  in  my  bunk,  and  I  felt  the  bunk  lifted  beneath  me. 

Q.  That  was  at  the  first  shock? 

A.  The  first  shock;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Everything  was  over  by  the  time  you  reached  the  deck  in  the  way 
of  explosions  and  small  shots  ? 

A.  I  heard  no  small  shots  until  about  half  an  hour  afterwards,  when 
I  heard  the  small-arm  ammunition  going  off.  I  heard  no  small  shot. 
The  explosion  did  nob  sound  loud  in  the  steerage  at  all. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  are  only  conscious  of  one  shock? 

The  Judge  Advocate.  He  says  he  is  not  prepared  to  say.  He  says 
there  was  a  shock  and  an  explosion,  but  he  is  not  prepared  to  state 
there  was  a  distinct  interval. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  Were  you  asleep  at  the  time? 
A.  No,  sir;  I  was  reading. 
Q.  In  your  bunk? 
A.  In  my  bunk. 
Q.  Upper  bunk? 
A.  Lower  bunk. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  say  you  do  not  remember;  you  did  not  say  that  either,  but 
you  say  you  did  not  separate  the  explosion  into  two  parts? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  simply  know  that  the  first  idea  that  flashed  across  my 
mind  was 

Q.  We  do  not  care  about  that.  You  are  convinced  yourself  that 
that  was  not  correct;  that  there  was  no  salute  being  fired? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  convinced  that  that  is  not  so? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  were  convinced  immediately  of  that,  were  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


138  DESTKUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE, 

Q.  When  you  felt  the  bunk  being  lifted  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  from  what  followed,  you  knew  that  it  was  not  a  salute? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  or  do  you  not  remember  that  there  were  two  parts  to  that? 

A.  I  do  not  remember. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  D.  F.  Boyd,  Jr.,  U.  P.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  David  F.  Boyd,  jr.;  naval  cadet,  U.  S.  Navy;  attached  to  auu 
serving  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine? 

A.  Since  the  19th  of  June,  1897. 

Q.  What  duties  have  you  performed  in  that  time? 

A.  The  duties  of  junior  officer  of  division,  junior  watch  officer,  and 
mate  of  the  deck. 

Q.  What  deck  have  you  been  mate  of? 

A.  Mate  of  the  berth  deck  and  mate  of  the  superstructure  deck. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  mate  of  the  berth  deck  ? 

A.  From  the  latter  part  of  August  until  the  1st  of  January. 

Q.  Who  relieved  you  then? 

A.  Naval  Cadet  W.  T.  Cluverius. 

Q.  What  are  your  duties  as  mate  of  the  berth  deck? 

A.  To  see  that  all  compartments  are  not  open,  except  those  author- 
ized to  be  open,  and  to  see  that  those  compartments  are  water-tight. 

Q.  Which  compartments  are  authorized  to  be  kept  open  by  the  rules 
of  tl  e  ship? 

A.  The  clothing  issuing  room,  the  dynamo  room,  the  forward  and 
fter  10-inch  handling  room,  and  the  passage  between  the  steerage  and 
wardroom. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  keeping  the  forward  10-inch  handling  room 
open  ? 

A.  It  necessarily  must  be  kept  open,  because  there  is  a  track  run- 
ning in  to  the  base  of  the  turret.  The  compartment  can  not  be  water- 
tight. 

Q.  That  compartment  is  open  below  deck  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  It  does  not  open  on  the  berth  deck  at  all? 

A.    No,  sir. 

Q.  But  the  after  10-inch  handling  room  does  open  on  the  berth  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.    On  account  of  there  being  more  heat  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  is  over  the  evaporating  room. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  139 

Q.  Everything  else  is  locked  up  at  night,  and  reported  so  at  8  o'clock? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who  are  the  men  who  make  these  reports? 

A.  The  captain  of  the  hold,  the  equipment  yeoman,  and  the  sail- 
maker's  mate. 

Q.  Are  they  reliable  men  on  board  ship? 

A.  So  far  as  I  know ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  yourself  see  these  compartments  closed  at  night,  as  a 
rule? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  always  find  the  duty  properly  executed  by  the  men  doing 
it? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  The  regular  captain  of  the  hold,  I  believe,  was  sick  at  the  time 
of  the  explosion.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  acting  captain 
of  the  hold? 

A.  I  do  not. 

Q.  What  division  were  you  in  last? 

A.  The  third  division. 

Q.  That  is  the  after-turret  division  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  in  the  steerage  messroom — the  junior  officers'  messroom. 

Q.  Please  state  what  you  saw,  heard,  and  felt. 

A.  I  was  sitting  in  the  steerage  reading  at  the  time.  The  lights 
went  out.  A  crashing  booming  was  heard.  I  was  struck  in  the  back 
of  the  head  with  a  splinter,  and  remember  no  more  of  the  explosion. 

Q.  Were  you  made  senseless? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  so  far  as  1  know.  I  have  an  indistinct  memory  at  the 
time. 

Q.  You  rushed  up  on  deck,  yon  say,  and  were  struck  in  the  head 
there? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  in  the  steerage. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  how  many  shocks  you  felt? 

A.  It  was  one  continuous  shock. 

Q.  One  continuous  shock  was  all  you  felt? 

A.  All  I  felt. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  how  you  got  on  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  remember  perfectly. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  list  of  the  ship  or  any  lift  of  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Describe  it  a  little  more  fully,  please. 

A.  When  I  collected  my  wits  I  grasped  Assistant  Engineer  Merritt 
by  the  hand  and  told  him  to  go  up  on  deck.  I  pulled  him  out  in  the 
passage  in  the  after  torpedo  room.  We  groped  along  the  bulkhead 
until  we  came  to  the  turn  going  over  to  the  port  side.  At  this  moment 
the  ship  sank  down  amidships  and  heeled  over  on  the  port  side.  The 
rush  of  water  swept  us  apart.  I  grasped  the  steam  pipe  overhead — 
the  small  steam-heater  pipe — and  worked  my  way  down  toward  the 
steerage  ladder,  but  it  was  gone.  I  worked  my  way  over  to  the  port 
side — on  this  steam  heater  pipe — hoping  to  escape  through  some  hole 
on  the  port  side.  The  water  was  rushing  through  the  air  ports,  so  that 
I  was  not  able  to  hang  onto  this  small  pipe.  I  grasped  the  torpedoes 
that  were  triced  up  under  the  deck  beam,  and,  twining  both  arms  and 
legs  around  it,  I  worked  my  way  inboard  toward  the  hatch,  feeling 
the  deck  most  of  the  time  to  find  the  hatch.    The  water  at  this  time 


140     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

was  almost  over  my  bead;  almost  up  to  the  deck.  Some  burning 
cellulose  flared  up  on  deck,  and  I  saw  the  batch  and  made  for  it.  I 
escaped  through  a  mass  of  debris,  on  the  hatch  part  of  which  was  the 
second  cutter. 

Q.  Again  referring  to  the  shocks,  what  kind  of  a  shock  did  you  first 
feel? 

A.  As  well  as  I  can  describe,  the  shock  was  more  that  of  a  large 
freight  train  being  coupled  up  together. 

Q.  That  was  the  first  shock? 

A.  That  was  the  first  shock. 

Q.  The  other  was  continuous,  so  far  as  you  can  remember,  you  say? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  A  continual  roar? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  splinters  and  glass  falling  in  the  steerage. 

Q.  Was  there  any  list  to  the  ship? 

A.  Not  until  we  got  in  the  passage. 

Q.  Then  she  listed  which  way? 

A.  She  listed  to  port. 

Q.  Was  there  any  lifting  of  the  ship? 

A.  She  sank  amidships. 

Q.  Was  there  any  lifting  of  the  ship? 

A.  No,  sir;  none  that  I  remember. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  speak  of  being  knocked  senseless  by  a  splinter.  What  kind 
of  a  splinter? 

A.  I  think  it  must  have  been  wooden. 

Q.  Where  did  the  wood  come  from  ?  The  thing  in  my  mind  is,  if  you 
were  knocked  senseless  with  a  splinter,  how  could  you  state  that  it 
was  by  a  splinter? 

A.  I  was  struck  on  the  back  of  the  head.     That  is  all  I  know. 

Q.  By  something? 

A.  By  something.  There  was  a  wooden  bulkhead  at  the  forward 
bulkhead  of  the  steerage.    I  suppose  it  was  wood  from  that. 

Q.  Did  you,  as  mate  of  the  deck,  have  anything  to  do  with  the  care 
of  the  decks  below  the  berth  deck  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  How  far  down  did  your  duties  extend? 

A.  My  duties  extended  to  every  compartment  below  the  berth  deck 
except  the  engine  room  and  fire  room  and  the  engineer's  storeroom. 

Q.  How  did  you  get  from  the  platform  deck  down  to  the  hold  or  level 
of  the  magazines? 

A.  How  could  you  get  from  the  berth  deck  down  to  the  hold? 

Q.  Yes ;  from  the  platform  deck  ? 

A.  The  lore  hold? 

Q.  Yes;  the  fore  hold. 

A.  There  is  a  hatch  in  forward  compartment  A101.  You  go  down 
two  flights  of  ladders.  The  first  is  in  the  passage  betweeu  the  rooms. 
The  second  goes  down  to  the  fore  hold  itself.  A101  is  a  berth-deck 
compartment. 

Q.  How  did  you  get  down  to  the  magazines? 

A.  From  the  10-inch  magazine  hatch  in  the  loading  room  for  the 
10-inch  turret. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  141 

i 

report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he 
will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly.  Whereupon 
he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss 
matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 
The  court  then  (at  1  o'clock  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  2  o'clock  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

Lieut.  George  F.  W.  Holman,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  witness  heretofore 
examined,  was  recalled  as  a  witness  before  the  court,  and  after  being 
cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  the  oath  previously  taken 
by  him  was  still  binding,  testified  as  follows: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Mr.  Holman,  on  June  30,  1897,  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
Maine,  Captain  Sigsbee,  made  out  a  report,  giving  the  amount  of  ammu- 
nition in  each  magazine  and  shell  room.  I  hold  a  copy  of  that  report 
in  my  hand.  Will  you  look  at  it  and  tell  us  whether  it  is  a  report  made 
out  from  data  furnished  by  you?     (Exhibit  G  shown  to  the  witness.) 

A.  I  have  no  doubt  it  is.  I  can  not  recognize  it  from  anything  except 
the  official  letter  transmitting  it. 

Q.  You  did  assist  your  commanding  officer  in  making  up  such  a 
report? 

A.  I  did ;  yes. 

Q.  Can  you  state  what  material  changes  have  been  made  in  the  stow- 
age since  that  report  was  made? 

A.  No  material  changes. 

Q.  Then  you  think  it  is  a  practically  correct  report  at  the  time  of  the 
explosion? 

A.  I  do. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  where  rockets  and  blue  lights  and  such 
things  were  stowed  on  board  the  Maine  f 

A.  In  the  chart  house  or  the  pilot  house,  upon  the  bridge. 

Q.  All  of  them? 

A.  All  of  them,  I  think.  I  do  not  know  of  any  having  been  moved 
from  there.  They  were  stowed  there  originally,  and  I  know  of  no  move 
having  been  made. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Were  you  asked  in  your  testimony  before  how  many  explosions 
you  heard? 

A.  I  heard  and  felt  two,  one  a  small  one,  a  grumble  I  may  call  it,  and 
then,  after  a  very  short  interval,  probably  a  fraction  of  a  second, 
came  the  heavy,  loud,  booming  explosion. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioued  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


142  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Lieut.  A.  W.  Catlin,  TJ.  S.  Marine  Corps,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  A.  W.  Catlin,  first  lieutenant  TJ.  S.  Marine  Corps,  attached  to  the 
U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  Since  the  1st  of  August. 

Q.  In  charge  of  the  marine  guard  of  that  ship  ? 

A.  In  charge  of  the  marine  guard;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  August  of  last  year? 

A.  August  of  last  year,  1897;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  special  orders  were  given  the  marine  guard  of  your  ship 
during  her  last  stay  in  Havana  Harbor  in  the  way  of  special  precau- 
tions? 

A.  When  we  first  went  into  the  harbor,  there  were  two  extra  senti- 
nels put  on,  one  on  the  forecastle  and  one  on  the  poop,  armed  with 
rifles.  They  had  special  orders  to  challenge  all  boats  which  approached 
the  ship  near  enough  for  a  challenge,  and  in  case  any  boat  came 
toward  the  ship,  evidently  coming  to  the  ship,  to  report  immediately 
to  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  by  the  sentinel,  and  to  the  officer  of  the 
deck.    These  sentinels  were  on  from  7  o'clock  at  night  until  daylight. 

Q.  Where  was  the  corporal  of  the  guard  stationed  ? 

A.  The  corporal  of  the  guard  was  stationed  in  the  starboard  gang- 
way. 

Q.  Was  there  an  extra  man  in  the  port  gangway  ? 

A.  There  was  a  patrol  in  the  port  gangway. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  a  patrol  ? 

A.  He  went  by  the  name  of  patrol,  because  his  beat  went  up  in  the 
forward  superstructure,  as  well  as  in  the  port  gangway. 

Q.  He  was  a  picked  man  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Acting  as  corporal? 

A.  He  was  an  acting  corporal;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Doing  a  corporal's  duties? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  duties  did  the  corporal  of  the  guard  and  the  patrol  have,  in 
the  way  of  inspecting  the  ship  at  night? 

A.  The  corporal's  guard  went  below  every  half  hour  to  inspect  the 
ship  lights,  etc.,  and  the  patrol  took  his  place  in  the  starboard  gang- 
way while  he  was  gone. 

Q.  All  this  was  faithfully  carried  out  to  the  best  of  your  knowledge? 

A.  It  was.  I  visited  the  sentries  every  night,  once  before  and  once 
after  midnight,  while  we  were  in  Havana  Harbor,  and  always  found 
them  vigilant  and  attending  to  their  duties  properly. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  On  the  port  side,  in  the  wardroom.  I  was  in  room  No.  8,  which 
is  the  fourtih  room  from  forward. 

Q.  Just  state  to  the  court  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw  of  the  actual 
explosion  or  explosions  that  may  have  occurred. 

A.  I  was  sitting  in  my  room  reading,  when  I  heard — I  do  not  know 
how  to  explain  it — a  dull  sound,  a  loud  coucussion,  and  the  shaking  of 
the  ship.  What  impressed  me  most  was  the  falling  of  things  around 
the  deck — I  suppose  electric-light  fixtures,  etc.  I  immediately  rushed 
up  on  deck.  The  lights  went  out  immediately.  I  rushed  up  on  deck, 
and  as  I  came  on  deck  I  saw  the  whole  heavens  full  of  sparks.    There 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     143 

was  no  flame  then,  only  sparks  up  above.  Lieut.  Commander  Wain- 
wright  had  just  called  away  the  boats.  I  went  to  where  the  barge  was 
hanging.    Do  you  wish  me  to  go  on  from  there1? 

Q.  No;  I  only  want  the  actual  explosion. 

A.  That  is  all  I  know,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  shocks  did  you  feel? 

A.  I  only  felt  one,  sir. 

Q.  The  lights  went  out  at  that  shock  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  immediately. 

Q.  And  it  was  all  over  by  the  time  you  reached  the  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  any  listing  of  the  ship? 

A.  The  ship  listed  to  port. 

Q.  Immediately? 

A.  I  don't  know,  sir.     She  was  listed  by  the  time  I  got  on  deck. 

Q.  Did  she  seem  to  be  lifted  at  the  time  of  the  shock? 

A.  I  didn't  notice  it,  sir. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  tomorrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Gunner  Joseph  Hill,  IT.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Joseph  Hill,  gunner,  United  States  Navy,  attached  to  the  U.  S.  S. 
Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 

A.  About  twenty-nine  months. 

Q.  Ever  since  her  commission? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  When  were  you  relieved  from  duty  as  gunner  last? 

A.  It  was  on  or  about  the  18th  of  January,  1898. 

Q.  Will  you  look  at  this  report  of  Captain  Sigsbee,  this  being  a  copy 
of  it,  and  state  whether  that  seems  to  be  practically  correct  in  regard 
to  the  stowage  of  ammunition  on  board  the  Maine  [Exhibit  G-  shown  to 
the  witness]. 

A.  This  is  about  it.    Do  you  mean  at  the  time  of  the  accident? 

Q.  I  mean  whether  that  is  a  correct  report  on  June  30? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  about  right. 

Q.  State  to  the  court  what  material  changes  have  been  made  since 
June  30, 1897,  of  any  kind,  in  the  stowage  of  ammunition. 

A.  I  believe  we  have  had  small-arm  target  practice  once.  I  think 
most  of  the  small-arm  ammunition  was  used  up  on  board,  but,  as  I 
understand,  some  time  after  I  was  put  under  suspension,  they  received 
about  70,000  rounds  of  6-minimeter  ball  cartridges;  also  about  7,000 
rounds  of  blank  cartridges,  6-minimeter,  and  as  near  as  I  can  under- 
stand there  was  some  of  that  stored  in  the  forward  fixed-ammunition 


144  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

room  and  some  in  the  after  fixed-ammunition  room,  and  perhaps  some 
was  stowed  in  the  armory.     I  am  not  sure  about  it. 

Q.  Where  was  the  armory  situated? 

A.  It  was  a  little  abaft  of  the  midship  line. 

Q.  On  the  main  deck? 

A.  On  the  upper  deck;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  look  specially  at  the  amount  of  ammunition  in  the  6-inch 
reserve  magazine,  and  tell  us  whether  that  was  practically  the  amount 
there  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  I  see  there  is  a  lot  of  saluting  powder  here.  Of  course  at  the  time 
I  was  put  under  suspension  I  believe  it  was  somewhere  about  that,  but 
since  that  I  could  not  state  what  changes  have  been  made  there. 

Q.  Do  you  think  the  6  inch  charges  were  put  there  at  that  time1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  were  those  6-inch  charges  stowed1?  Were  they  stowed 
against  the  bulkheads  or  clear  of  the  bulkheads,  or  how? 

A.  They  were  stowed  on  wooden  racks  that  were  made  fast  to  the 
metal  bulkheads. 

Q.  Did  the  powder  tanks  abut  against  the  bulkheads? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  they  abut  against  the  bulkhead  which  divided  the  coal  bunker 
from  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  after  tier  did.  The  forward  tier  did  not,  because 
they  were  still  forward. 

Q.  They  were  against  the  bulkhead? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  They  abutted  against  the  outboard  bulkhead,  I  understand  you 
to  say  ? 

A.  In  the  reserve  magazine? 

Q.  Yes. 

A.  No,  sir;  in  the  after  one. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  which  bunker  that  was  against? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  But  they  did  not  abut  against  the  fore  and  aft  bulkhead  on  the 
outboard  of  the  magazine? 

A.  The  side  of  the  tank  was  laying  up  there,  I  understand,  but  the 
end  of  the  tank  was  aft.    The  tanks  were  stored  fore  and  aft. 

Q.  You  think  they  touched  that  outboard  bulkhead  which  divides 
the  magazine  from  the  coal  bunker? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  I  will  show  you  the  plan.  This  bulkhead  [pointing  to  a  fore- 
and-aft  bulkhead]  divides  the  magazine  from  coal  bunker  A16.  Did 
powder  touch  that  bulkhead  in  its  stowage? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  did  aft  here. 

Q.  It  did  in  the  after  part  of  the  magazine. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  it  did  in  the  forward  part,  too,  because  there  was 
a  lot  of  spare  saluting  powder  stowed  there. 

Q.  And  that  was  close  against  the  bulkhead? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  as  near  as  I  can  remember  the  date  of  my  suspension. 

Q.  Did  you  take  the  temperature  of  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms, 
as  prescribed  by  regulations,  regularly? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  always  made  a  practice  of  seeing  the  gunners  take  it. 

Q.  It  was  regularly  taken,  was  it? 

A.  Once  a  day. 

Q.  Was  there  anything  stowed  in  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms  in 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  145 

the  way  of  high  explosives  or  anything  of  that  kind  which  should  not 
have  been  stowed  there  according  to  ordnance  instructions'? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  know  of  anything,  to  the  date  of  my  suspension. 

Q.  Were  magazines  and  shell  rooms  always  carefully  locked  after 
they  had  been  opened? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  the  keys  turned  in  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  There  was  always  a  regular  care  taken  in  the  delivery  of  the  keys 
and  the  locking  of  the  shell  room  and  magazines? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Are  the  magazines  lined  with  wood? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  as  I  remember.  The  plates  are  bare,  of  course,  and 
the  only  woodwork  I  remember  there  is  the  stowage  racks,  holding 
powder,  tanks,  and  shells.    They  are  made  fast  to  the  metal  bulkhead. 

Q.  Is  there  any  electric  wiring  that  leads  into  the  magazine  that 
would  be  dangerous? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  wires  seemed  to  be  well  insulated.  Of  course  they 
led  into  the  light  box,  but,  as  I  remember,  they  came  down  through 
the  deck,  and  then  went  at  an  angle  into  the  light  box  itself.  As  I 
remember  it,  the  wires  went  through  a  metal  casing. 

Q.  You  considered  the  wiring  perfectly  secure? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  of  course  it  may  have  been  woodwork  painted  over 
white,  but  I  never  examined  it  very  closely.  It  looked  very  much  to  me 
as  if  it  was  metal. 

Q.  You  never  had  any  trouble  with  the  light  boxes  in  the  way  ot 
grounding — with  the  lights  in  the  light  boxes? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  dynamo  tenders  found  considerable  trouble  in  keep- 
ing the  magazine  lights  in  order.  They  always  gave  as  an  excuse  that 
the  system  was  grounded  down  around  the  boxes. 

Q.  But  the  wiring  laid  directly  from  the  upper  deck  into  the  boxes, 
in  two  metal  cases? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  as  I  remember  it,  I  think  it  went  down  through  the 
deck  in  some  places,  and  then  went  at  an  angle  into  the  light  box  itself. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  in  Havana. 

Q.  Onshore? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  How  were  the  (3-inch  powder  tanks  stowed  with  reference  to  the 
keel  of  the  ship  in  the  reserve  magazines? 

A.  They  are  stowed  in  line  with  the  keel,  I  should  judge  about  8  or 
10  feet  away  from  the  keel,  to  port. 

Q.  How  were  they  stowed?     What  kept  them  in  place? 

A.  Some  wooden  racks  which  secured  the  metal  bulkheads  in  the 
magazine,  and  the  powder  was  stowed  right  on  the  racks. 

Q.  Tell  us  how  these  racks  were  made. 

A.  The  magazine  itself  seemed  to  be  divided.  The  after  half  of  it 
was  divided  into  two  compartments,  fore  and  aft  like,  and  there  were 
strong  wooden  uprights,  secured  in  place  to  the  deck  above  and  to  the 
inner  bottom  of  the  ship,  and  from  this  ran  athwartships  some  other 
battens,  a  sufficient  distance  apart  so  as  to  have  the  bottom  tank  rest 
on  one  and  the  lid  or  upper  part  of  the  tank  on  the  other. 

Q.  They  were  stowed  on  the  side,  were  they  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  tanks  were  stowed  on  the  side, 
S.  Doc.  207 10 


146     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Were  these  battens  on  which  the  tauks  rested  straight? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  horizontal. 

Q.  They  were  not  cut  out  to  receive  the  tank? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Were  these  upright  supports  between  the  horizontal  battens  placed 
on  both  sides,  at  the  ends  of  these  horizonal  battens? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  as  near  as  I  can  remember. 

Q.  Then  one  was  against  the  bulkhead  and  the  other  was  inside  the 
magazine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Please  explain  how  the  powder  tanks  could  have  rested  against 
the  bulkheads. 

A.  The  racks  were  secured  with  crosspieces,  horizontal  and  athwart- 
ships.  When  the  tank  was  shoved  in  place,  it  was  shoved  right  aft, 
directly  against  the  metal  bulkheads. 

Q.  Where  were  these  upright  strips? 

A.  The  upright  strips  were  fore  and  aft  in  the  magazine,  making  two 
bends  like  that  [indicating]. 

Q.  Fore  and  aft? 

A.  Two  compartments,  like. 

(The  witness  here  drew  a  sketch  and  explained  what  he  meant  by 
reference  to  the  sketch.) 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Boatswain  Francis  E.  Larkin,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Francis  E.  Larkin,  boatswain,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the  U.  S. 
S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  tne  Maine? 

A.  From  September,  at  the  time  of  going  in  commission,  until  the 
present  time. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  the  night  of  her  explosion? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  Did  you  make  the  usual  8  p.  m.  reports  to  the  executive  officer? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  Was  everything  secure  in  your  department  when  you  so  reported  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  1 

A.  Sitting  abaft  the  after  turret. 

Q.  On  the  main  deck? 

A.  On  the  main  deck. 

Q.  Please  describe  what  you  saw,  felt,  and  heard. 

A.  I  remember  hearing  an  explosion.  I  do  not  remember  i/ne  violence 
of  it.    I  was  struck  on  the  head  about  the  same  time  and  dazed.    I 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     147 

attempted  to  rise  and  fell  again.  Then  I  remember  crawling  over  the 
wing  awning  on  the  port  side  of  tbe  cabin  up  on  the  poop  deck. 

Q.  How  did  you  get  there  1 

A.  1  climbed  over  a  small  wing  awning  on  the  poop  deck.  I  helped  to 
lower  the  gig,  letting  down  a  6-inch  gun  port  in  the  rear,  and  breasting 
the  gig  off  as  she  lowered.    I  then  jumped  in  and  took  an  oar. 

Q.  You  do  not  remember  distinctly  the  explosions,  then? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  there  was  one  or  whether  there  was 
two,  three,  or  four  explosions? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  do  not  remember  any  movement  of  the  ship  when  the  explo- 
sion first  occurred  ? 

A.  Just  a  rendering  and  swaying  all  around  me.  It  may  have  been 
from  my  dazed  condition,  or  it  may  have  been  from  the  ship. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  went  out  in  the  boat  to  pick  up  the  people  in  the  water! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  we  were  pretty  close  to  the  wreck  all  the  time.  We 
picked  up  two  or  three  men  and  handed  them  in  other  boats  alongside. 

Q.  Where  were  these  men  ? 

A.  There  was  one  man  picked  out  of  a  mass  of  wreckage  there.  I 
don't  know  what  it  was.  I  think  Thompson  was  the  man's  name.  I 
remember  him  being  landed  in  the  gig  and  given  to  another  boat. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  ship  did  you  pick  the  man  up  ? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Were  you  at  any  time  on  the  port  side? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Were  there  any  men  in  the  water  on  that  side? 

A.  I  didn't  see  any. 

Q.  You  did  not  see  any  men  on  the  port  side? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side.  I  didn't  see  anything  at  all  on  the  port 
side. 

Q.  I  asked  you  if  you  saw  any  men  on  the  port  side,  and  you  said 
you  did  not. 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  The  gig  lowered  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit 
ness  be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Carpenter  George  Helm,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  George  Helm;  carpenter,  U.  S.  Navy;  attached  to  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 
Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine? 


148  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  Since  the  17th  of  September,  1895. 

Q.  That  is,  since  her  commission  ? 

A.  I  was  ordered  to  her  two  weeks  before  then. 

Q.  And  you  became  acquainted  with  the  Maine,  then,  sometime  before 
she  went  into  commission? 

A.  About  two  weeks. 

Q.  Since  you  have  been  attached  to  the  Maine  you  have  done  a  great 
deal  of  work  below  the  berth  deck  in  regard  to  keeping  the  compart- 
ments clean  and  in  proper  order,  and  all  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  well  acquainted  with  the  Maine  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  thoroughly. 

Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  construction  of  the  magazines 
of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  have  an  idea. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  how  the  powder  is  stored  in  the  reserve  6-inch 
magazines? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  how  the  racks  are  constructed  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  is  the  thickness  of  the  bulkhead  between  the  reserve  mag- 
azine and  the  10-inch  shell  room  ? 

A.  A  quarter  of  an  inch,  10  pounds  plating. 

Q.  And  the  same  between  the  10-inch  shell  room  and  the  10-inch 
magazine? 

A.  The  same. 

Q.  Where  is  the  water-tight  bulkhead  abaft  the  reserve  magazine; 
immediately  next  to  it? 

A.  I  don't  quite  understand  that. 

Q.  What  water-tight  bulkhead  is  there  abaft  the  reserve  magazine? 
Does  it  abut  against  it  or  not? 

A.  That  is  a  continuous  bulkhead. 

Q.  There  is  a  water-tight  bulkhead  immediately  abaft  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  is  the  thickness  of  that  bulkhead? 

A.  Quarter  inch  10  pound  plating. 

Q.  Is  there  one  immediately  forward  of  the  reserve  magazine? 

A.  Yes;  that  is  a  water-tight  bulkhead. 

Q.  Is  there  one  between  the  forward  6-inch  magazine  and  the  fixed 
ammunition  room  ? 

A.  Yes ;  that  is  water-tight. 

Q.  Is  there  one  immediately  forward  of  the  forward  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  That  is  water-tight. 

Q.  Were  all  bulkheads  and  everything  in  good  condition  on  board 
the  Maine  just  previous  to  her  explosion? 

A.  First-class  condition. 

Q.  What  water-tight  doors  were  in  good  condition? 

A.  They  were  all  in  good  condition. 

Q.  Had  the  regular  inspections  been  made  all  the  time  the  ship  was 
in  commission? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  make  the  8  p.  m.  reports  on  the  night  of  her  explosion  to 
the  executive  officer? 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

Q.  Was  everything  secure,  as  you  reported  it? 

A.  Everything  was  secure. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  149 

A.  I  was  in  my  bunk. 

Q.  Where  is  your  bunk  located  ? 

A.  Compartment  G100. 

Q.  The  forward  end  of  that  compartment  1 

A.  The  forward  end,  right  alongside  of  the  armor  of  the  barbette  or 
turret. 

Q.  It  is  on  the  berth  deck? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  Well  outboard? 

A.  Well  outboard,  near  the  skin  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Just  forward  of  the  torpedoes  I 

A.  Just  forward  of  the  torpedoes. 

Q.  Please  state  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw  during  the  time  of  the 
explosions. 

A.  I  only  heard  one  report. 

Q.  What  did  it  feel  like? 

A.  It  just  felt  about  like  a  6-inch  or  a  10-inch  gun  going  off,  as  near 
as  I  can  remember. 

Q.  That  is  all  you  heard? 

A.  That  is  all  I  heard. 

Q.  Were  you  injured  in  any  way? 

A.  None  that  I  know  of;  no,  sir. 

Q.  You  got  on  deck  without  any  trouble? 

A.  I  got  on  deck  with  considerable  trouble;  that  is,  onto  the  main 
deck. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  seem  to  shake  or  shiver  any  during  this  report? 

A.  None  that  I  can  remember. 

Q.  Did  she  list  any? 

A.  She  listed  to  starboard.    That  is  about  all  I  can  say. 

Q.  Were  you  wide  awake  when  the  thing  first  happened? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  ? 

A.  Tes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Are  you  so  intimately  acquainted  with  the  construction  of  the 
Maine  that  you  could  recognize  portions  of  the  wreck — that  is,  I  mean 
of  the  hull — take  a  part  of  the  hull  detached  from  where  it  belongs 
entirely  ? 

A.  I  don't  know  about  that. 

Q.  Longitudinals  and  so  on? 

A.  I  guess  they  would  be  pretty  hard  to  recognize,  unless  there  is 
something  there  to  go  by,  such  as  main  drains  or  sluice  valves,  or  some- 
thing like  that,  that  you  could  locate. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  anything  of  the  longitudinals?  Are  they  not  dif- 
ferent in  width  or  in  depth? 

A.  Very  little.  I  don't  suppose  there  is  more  than  3  or  4  inches  dif- 
ference. 

Q.  How  many  longitudinals  were  there? 

A.  There  were  three,  first,  second,  and  third,  and  the  bottom  of  the 
lower  wing  passage  formed  the  fourth,  and  the  upper  wing  passage 
formed  the  fifth. 

Q.  How  high  did  the  highest  longitudinal  come? 

A.  The  third  longitudinal  is  water-tight.  The  fifth  is  formed  by  the 
upper  wing  passage. 

Q.  Are  not  these  longitudinals  sufficient  in  depth  to  be  able  to  recog- 
nize them  from  their  depth  ? 


150     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  Forward  you  could ;  yes.  I  guess  you  could  recognize  them  for- 
ward as  they  taper  so  low  there. 

Q.  What  was  the  thickness  of  the  protective  deck  of  that  ship? 

A.  Two  inches.    That  is,  two  1-inch  plates  riveted  together. 

Q.  What  was  the  thickness  of  her  side  armor? 

A.  Her  side  armor  was  11  inch. 

Q.  All  over? 

A.  No;  it  tapered  down  to  7  inches. 

Q.  Did  it  taper  fore  and  aft  ? 

A.  It  tapered  aft. 

Q.  What  was  the  thickness  of  the  wood  backing  ? 

A.  That  I  don't  know. 

Q.  What  were  the  sizes  of  the  armor  bolts? 

A.  The  wooden  backing  was  8  inches. 

Q.  As  far  as  you  remember,  how  big  were  the  bolts? 

A.  The  bolts  for  screwing  the  armor  were  between  3f  and  4  inches  in 
diameter. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  You  said  the  armor  belt  was  11  inches.  Are  you  certain  of  that? 
Was  it  not  12? 

A.  All  I  have  to  go  by  is  the  plan.  [After  examination  of  the  plan.] 
They  are  12  inches  on  top;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  the  armor  belt  tapered  aft? 

A.  She  tapered  aft  abaft  the  engine  room. 

Q.  You  mean  it  sloped  down  aft? 

A.  It  sloped;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  It  did  not  taper  and  get  thinner  as  it  went  aft,  did  it? 

A.  Oh,  no. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  That  is  what  I  understood  you  to  mean. 
A.  That  they  get  thinner? 
Q.  Yes. 

A.  No;  it  slopes. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  How  far  down  did  the  double  bottoms  extend? 
A.  The  double  bottoms  extended  from  frame  12  forward  to  frame  73 
forward. 

Q.  How  far  did  the  bilge  keel  extend  forward? 
A.  The  bilge  keel  started  in,  I  think,  at  frame  28. 
Q.  Do  you  know  how  far  they  were  from  the  keel  ? 
A.  No,  I  do  not. 

The  judge  advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  witness 
be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to  report 
to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with  so 
much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then,  at  3.10  o'clock  p.  m.,  adjourned  until  10  o'clock 
to-morrow  morning,  Tuesday,  March  1,  1898. 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  151 


EIGHTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  Court-House,  Key  West,  Fla., 

Tuesday,  March  1,  1898—10  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday,  the  seventh  day  of  the 
trial,  was  read  and  approved. 

Lieutenant  Blandin,  U.  S.  Navy,  was  called  before  the  court  and 
handed  so  much  of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony, 
whereupon  he  withdrew. 

Lieutenant  Hood  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Lieutenant  Blow  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Lieutenant  Jungen  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so 
much  of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon 
he  withdrew. 

Lieutenant  Oatlin  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Gunner  Hill  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much  of  the 
record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he  withdrew. 

Boatswain  Larkin  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Carpenter  Helm  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much  of 
the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

P.  A.  Eng.  Frederick  C.  Bowers,  IT.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a 
witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  Frederick  C.  Bowers;  passed  assistant  engineer,  U.  S.  Navy; 
attached  to  the  U.  S.  8.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine;  since  her 
commission1? 

A.  Since  her  commission. 

Q.  Are  you  the  senior  assistant  engineer  to  the  chief  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  have  been  all  the  time  since  the  ship  has  been  in  com- 
mission ? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  precautions  have  been  taken  on 
board  the  Maine  during  her  commission  against  spontaneous  com- 
bustion of  coal1? 


152  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  The  order  has  been  to  inspect  the  bunkers  every  day,  and  log  it. 
In  the  case  of  every  bunker  that  had  an  escape  door,  we  have  always 
opened  those  doors  to  examine  the  bunkers;  and  generally  the  coal 
that  has  been  in  the  ship  the  longest  has  been  used  the  first,  as  near 
as  possible. 

Q.  As  far  as  you  know,  these  orders  have  been  carried  out,  have 
they? 

A.  Whenever  I  was  on  duty  they  were. 

Q.  When  were  you  on  duty  last  on  board  the  Maine? 

A.  The  14th  day  of  February. 

Q.  The  day  before  the  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  came  off  that  morning  at  what  time? 

A.  At  8  o'clock. 

Q.  Can  you  give  the  history  of  bunker  A16,  which  is  the  port  bunker 
forward  abreast  of  the  6-inch  reserve  magazine?  Give  the  history  of 
the  coal  inside. 

A.  That  bunker  was  stored  in  either  Newport  News,  Va.,  or  at  Nor- 
folk. It  contained  soft  coal;  Pocahontas,  I  think.  If  it  came  from 
Norfolk,  I  inspected  it.    It  was  full  of  soft  coal,  about  40  tons. 

Q.  Were  not  the  bunkers  immediately  abaft  of  it,  B4  and  B6, 
empty  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  after  bulkhead  of  A16  was  easily  accessible? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  other  sides  were  accessible  to  ascertain  the  temperature  in 
case  it  should  have  been  over  hot? 

A.  You  could  feel  it  from  the  wing  passage,  and  there  was  an  escape 
door  on  platform  deck  A.  There  was  a  sign  there,  "Keep  that  door 
closed."  That  was  on  account  of  the  opening  into  the  passing  room, 
the  loading  room. 

Q.  The  10-inch  loading  room? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  a  sketch  here  that  I  made  of  the  bunker  showing 
the  capacity. 

Q.  We  only  care  for  A16. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Just  show  me  on  the  plan  here  where  that  bunker  was  accessible. 
Was  it  on  that  deck  [indicating]  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  the  deck  above  that — on  the  dynamo  deck.  That 
escape  door  came  out  here  to  go  into  the  wing  passage.  There  was  an 
escape  door  in  this  corner,  away  forward — the  inboard  forward  corner. 

Q.  That  was  not  on  the  same  deck  as  the  magazines? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  The  magazine  was  below  that? 

A.  Below  that;  yes,  sir.  It  was  just  the  reverse  of  the  other  side. 
The  other  tank  had  an  escape  door  below  on  the  hydraulic  room,  plat- 
form B  deck,  at  the  after  end.  I  mean  the  bunker  on  the  otber  side, 
No.  A15.  That  escape  door  was  aft,  and  was  on  the  platform  deck 
below. 

Q.  There  were  two  platform  decks? 

A.  Yes;  one  for  the  dynamos,  and  the  other  for  the  hydraulic  plant. 

Q.  On  this  deck  [indicating]  there  was  no  way  of  reaching  that 
bunker  on  the  inside,  was  there? 

A.  On  the  outside. 

Q.  On  the  outside,  but  next  to  the  6-inch  magazine? 

A.  No,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  153 

Q.  There  was  no  way  of  reaching  that? 

A.  We  generally  stored  that  bunker  full,  and  did  not  use  that  escape 
door  for  the  man  to  come  out.  We  let  him  come  out  of  the  chute.  We 
always  wanted  to  keep  that  bunker  full. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  You  say  you  inspected  that  coal  when  it  was  put  into  bunker 
A16? 

A.  If  the  coal  came  from  Norfolk,  I  did.  I  was  sent  over  there  to 
inspect  it. 

Q.  Did  you  consider  it  safe  and  reliable  coal,  from  your  inspection? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q  What  is  your  opinion  as  to  the  heat  generated  in  a  bunker  which 
has  become  lighted  by  spontaneous  combustion  in  the  bottom?  Would 
it  affect  the  upper  part  of  the  bottom  materially  and  heat  the  bulk- 
heads? 

A.  We  could  notice  it  very  materially,  I  should  think. 

Q.  In  the  upper  part  of  the  bunker? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  bunker  A15  being  used  at  the  time? 

A.  When  I  went  off  watch  we  were  using  what  we  used  from  No.  4 
bunker.    We  numbered  them  all. 

Q.  It  is  the  forward  starboard  bunker,  is  it  not  ? 

A.  Yes ;  when  I  went  off  watch  we  were  using  the  after  bunker  in  the 
forward  fire  room — the  wing  bunker — at  8  o'clock. 

Q.  Please  point  it  out  on  the  plan. 

A.  We  were  using  coal  out  of  this  bunker,  BIO. 

Q.  Had  you  not  been  using  coal  out  of  A15? 

A.  Previously;  yes,  sir.  When  we  were  using  coal  out  of  BIO,  we 
had  possibly  about  fifteen  tons  in  this  bunker. 

Q.  That  is  all? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  much  would  it  hold? 

A.  Twenty-five  tons,  when  full. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  any  steam  pipes  in  the  Maine  that  were  in  dan- 
gerous proximity  to  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  after  boilers — the  two  that  were 
used  for  auxiliary  purposes  ? 

A.  The  fires  were  practically  banked  on  the  six  furnaces  of  the  two 
boilers.    In  what  respect  do  you  mean? 

Q.  The  condition  of  the  boilers. 

A.  The  boilers  were  in  good  condition — in  very  good  condition. 

Q.  You  do  not  consider  there  was  any  danger  of  their  having  too 
much  pressure  on  for  safety  when  you  were  working  them  for  auxiliary 
purposes  on  the  evening  of  the  explosion? 

A.  No,  sir ;  the  safety  valves  blow  at  about  130  pounds,  and  we  usually 
carried  80  to  100  for  auxiliary  purposes. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  ashore. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  In  reference  to  taking  the  temperature  of  the  bunkers,  you  say 
there  was  an  order  to  examine  them  daily  where  they  were  accessible? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  what  did  the  examination  consist? 

A.  Opening  the  escape  doors  where  they  had  them,  and  feeling 
around  the  sides  of  the  bunkers. 


154     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Did  you  have  tbe  usual  thermostats  in  tbe  bunkers? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  tbey  didn't  work  very  well.  Sometimes  they  rang 
when  tbere  was  no  coal  in  the  bunker. 

Q.  I  believe  you  never  had  a  fire  from  spontaneous  combustion  in 
that  ship,  did  you  ? 

A.  No,  sir.  We  thought  we  did  once,  but  it  was  a  leaky  steampipe — 
a  leaky  exhaust  pipe  from  the  ice  machine. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  It  gave  the  alarm  ? 
A.  It  gave  the  alarm,  and  they  moved  the  coal. 

The  Judge- Advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the 
witness  be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  where- 
upon he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss 
matters  pertaining  to  tbe  trial. 

Lieutenant  Jungen  was  called  before  the  court  and  handed  so  much 
of  the  record  of  yesterday  as  contained  his  testimony,  whereupon  he 
withdrew. 

Asst.  Eng.  John  R.  Morris,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  at  present 
attached. 

A.  John  R.  Morris,  assistant  engineer,  U.  S.  Navy;  attached  to  the 
U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine? 

A.  Fourteen  months  and  fifteen  days. 

Q.  What  has  been  your  duty? 

A.  Serving  as  assistant  engineer. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  the  orders  of  the  ship  in  regard  to  taking  tem- 
peratures of  coal  bunkers  when  you  were  on  duty1? 

A.  The  bunkers  were  to  be  inspected  every  day,  to  see  how  they 
were  heated.    They  were  taken  every  day. 

Q.  Have  you  always  carried  out  that  order  when  on  duty? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Wheu  were  you  on  duty  last  in  the  Maine  f 

A.  February  15. 

Q.  You  were  on  duty  the  day  of  the  explosion  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  When  did  you  inspect  the  bunkers  on  that  day? 

A.  It  was  some  time  daring  the  forenoon;  I  think  between  10  and  11 
o'clock. 

Q.  Can  you  remember  distinctly  making  a  careful  inspection  of 
bunker  A10,  the  port  forward  bunker? 

A.  I  remember  of  opening  the  escape  doors,  and  there  was  no  heat 
perceptible,  more  than  just  the  temperature  of  the  hydraulic  room, 
which  is  next  to  the  bunker. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     155 

Q.  You  made  a  careful  inspection  of  that  bunker  on  that  day? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  the  forenoon? 

A.  In  the  forenoon ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  what  time? 

A.  About  10.30. 

Q.  Had  you  any  occasion  to  go  in  coal  bunkers  B4  and  B6,  which 
were  being  painted?    They  are  just  abaft  A1G. 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  had  those  bunker  doors  closed  that  night — the 
bunkers  we  had  been  painting. 

Q.  Which  night? 

A.  The  night  of  the  explosion.    The  inspection  was  at  7.45. 

Q.  P.  in.? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  go  into  B4  and  BG  at  7.45  p.  m.? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  went  into  B6. 

Q.  If  there  had  been  any  combustion  going  on  in  A16  would  you 
have  noticed  it  when  you  went  in  BG? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  looked  into  A15. 

Q.  I  am  speaking  of  A1G,  the  port  bunker.  Which  bunker  did  you 
go  into  at  7.45? 

A.  It  was  A15  that  closed  the  door  to  B4. 

Q.  You  did  not  go  into  B4? 

A.  I  looked  inside;  yes,  sir.  There  was  nothing  unusual  there.  I 
simply  had  the  door  closed  down,  as  it  was  night  inspection.  I  did 
not  enter  B6. 

Q.  What  work  had  been  going  on  in  B4  and  B6  that  day? 

A.  None  at  all,  sir.    We  had  completed  painting  in  those  bunkers, 

Q.  Before  you  came  on  duty? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  sitting  on  the  quarterdeck — on  the  port  side  of  the  quarter 
deck,  just  abaft  the  after  turret. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  to  the  court  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw 
of  the  explosion? 

A.  I  was  thrown  from  a  chair,  and  what  I  remember  of  the  explosion 
seemed  to  me  continuous  for  an  appreciable  length  of  time.  I  was  then 
partially  overcome  by  escaping  gases  from  the  smokestack  from  live 
boilers,  and  I  was  not  conscious  of  anything  further  so  that  I  could 
recall  anything  until  I  had  gained  the  poop  deck. 

Q.  What  was  the  first  sensation  you  had — the  first  shock  you  felt? 

A.  I  saw  fire  and  felt  the  ship  going  from  under  me.  I  can  hardly 
describe  my  sensation. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  at  the  time  in  your  chair? 

A.  >'o,  sir;  I  was  talking. 

Q.  Your  view  forward  was  obstructed  by  the  turret,  was  it  not.? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  could  not  describe  any  sensation  you  had  or  what  you  really 
heard  or  felt? 

A.  No,  sir,  I  can  not.    I  don't  even  remember  the  noise. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  How  were  you  thrown  from  your  chair? 

A.  I  was  thrown  aft,  sir.  At  least  I  thought  I  was.  I  think  I 
remember  falling  over  that  way.  I  was  sitting  talking  to  one  of  the 
other  officers. 


156  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Were  you  sitting  abaft  Mr.  Hood  9 

A.  Mr.  Hood  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  deck.  I  was  sitting  abaft 
Mr.  Larkin. 

Q.  On  which  side? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  You  were  on  the  port  side? 

A.  I  was  on  the  port  side,  yes,  sir;  right  out  to  the  rail. 

Q.  That  was  Mr.  Hood's  side. 

A.  I  don't  remember  where  he  was. 

Q.  You  were  thrown  from  your  chair  by  the  motion  of  the  deck  of 
the  ship  on  which  you  sat? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  my  recollection. 

Q.  You  can  not  say  what  that  motion  was? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  can  not. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the 
witness  be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to  morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Pope  Washington,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  wit- 
ness before  the  court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  Pope  Washington;  naval  cadet;  TJ.  S.  Navy. 
Q.  You  are  in  the  engineer  department? 
A.  I  am  an  engineer  cadet;  yes,  sir. 
Q.  Attached  to  the  TJ.  S.  S.  Maine? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  attached  to  the  Maine  f 
A.  Since  the  17th  of  May,  1897. 

Q.  Where  were  you  on  the  night  of  the  destruction  of  the  Maine  f 
A.  I  was  in  Havana. 
Q.  You  were  not  on  board? 
A.  No,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Arthur  Crenshaw,  TJ.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  State  your  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  Arthur  Crenshaw;  naval  cadet,  engineer  division;  attached  to  the 
TJ.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Where  were  you  on  the  night  of  the  destruction  of  the  Mainef 
A.  I  was  in  my  room,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     157 

Q.  Which  was  your  room? 

A.  The  forward  room  of  the  junior  officers'  quarters. 

Q.  Was  there  anyone  else  in  you  room  % 

A.  Mr.  Bronson. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw  of  the 
destruction  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  don't  remember  of  hearing  anything.  The  lights  went  out,  and 
I  felt  a  shock,  but  I  don't  remember  of  hearing  any  noise  of  any  kind. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  at  the  time"? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  shocks  did  you  feel? 

A.  I  can't  say  that  I  felt  but  one,  sir. 

Q.  Was  it  a  lurch  of  the  ship  or  a  shaking  of  the  ship,  or  what? 

A.  It  seemed  to  be  a  lurch  of  the  ship. 

Q.  You  are  quite  sure  you  were  not  asleep  and  that  this  woke  you  up  ? 

A.  I  am  quite  sure  I  was  not  asleep  sir, 

Q.  That  is  all  you  know  about  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  say  you  were  in  your  room? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Your  room  was  which  one? 

A.  The  forward  room  of  the  junior  officers'  quarters. 

Q.  Was  there  anybody  else  in  that  room  with  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who  was  it? 

A.  Mr.  Bronson. 

Q.  Were  you  in  your  berth  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  sitting  down  at  my  desk. 

Q.  You  heard  no  noise? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  that  I  can  remember.  It  was  simply  a  shock  and 
the  lights  were  extinguished. 

Q.  When  the  lights  went  out  what  did  you  do? 

A.  I  rushed  out  of  my  room,  sir,  into  the  junior  officers'  mess  room 
and  then  out  of  the  forward  door  of  the  junior  officers'  mess  room,  and, 
it  seemed  to  me,  through  the  door  that  leads  into  the  compartment 
just  forward  of  that.  There  was  a  rushing  noise  of  some  kind.  I 
couldn't  tell  just  exactly  what  it  was,  so  I  made  my  way  aft. 

Q.  You  went  aft  through  the  passage? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  what  did  you  do  ? 

A.  I  ran  for  the  steerage  ladder. 

Q.  Just  abaft  the  turret? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  leads  up  just  abaft  the  turret.  There  was  no  ladder 
there,  though. 

Q.  There  was  no  ladder  there? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  that  I  could  feel.  I  couldn't  see  anything.  I  could 
feel  no  ladder  there. 

Q.  Then  what  did  you  do? 

A.  Then  I  felt  for  the  engine-hatch  bulkhead,  that  leads  up  in  that 
compartment  and  felt  my  way  along  that  to  the  wardroom  ladder. 

Q.  You  went  up  the  wardroom  ladder? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  the  other  officer,  your  roommate,  did? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not.  I  supposed  he  was  right  behind  me,  though, 
sir.    I  couldn't  say. 


158     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Was  lie  in  the  room  at  the  time  you  were? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  the  water  reach  the  compartment  where  you  were  before  you 
left  it? 
A.  No,  sir. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Blandin  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Do  you  wish  to  make  some  corrections  in 
your  testimony  ? 

Lieutenant  Blandin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Please  state  them  to  the  stenographer. 

Lieutenant  Blandin.  On  page  242,  in  next  to  the  last  line,  it  should 
read  "dogwatches"  instead  of  "deck  watches." 

On  page  243,  the  last  paragraph  should  read:  "After  the  third 
quarter  watch  was  set  at  9  o'clock  at  pipe  down." 

On  page  241,  in  the  eighth  line,  it  should  be  "knee  deep"  instead  of 
"not  deep." 

In  the  tenth  line,  on  the  same  page,  it  should  read,  after  the  word 
"poop,"  "it  was  Private  Loftus,  I  think." 

On  page  246,  in  the  tenth  line,  insert  "had"  before  "swung." 

On  page  247,  in  the  seventh  paragraph,  it  should  read  "almost 
immediate"  instead  of  "almost  within  a  minute." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

Lieutenant  Blandin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson  entered. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  You  have  read  over  your  testimony  ? 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  ? 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson.  With  the  exception  of  two  small  mistakes. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Please  state  what  the  mistakes  are  that  you 
wish  to  correct. 

Naval  Cadet  BRONSON.  In  the  third  answer,  on  page  294,  it  should 
read:  "I  have  performed  boat  duty,  deck  duty  under  the  supervision  of 
the  commissioned  officer  of  the  deck." 

On  page  295,  the  third  answer — the  third  sentence  of  that  answer — 
should  be  removed — "  That  is  the  impression  which  I  have  now.'1  I 
have  not  any  such  impression  as  that  now. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  What  is  the  third  sentence  which  you  wish 
removed  ? 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson.  "  That  is  the  impression  which  I  have  now." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  You  want  that  stricken  out? 

Naval  Cadet  Bronson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.   S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  159 

Naval-Cadet  Bronson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Oatlin  entered. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  You  have  read  over  your  testimony? 

Lieutenant  Catlin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct? 

Lieutenaut  Oatlin.  Except  in  one  instance. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Please  read  to  the  stenographer  the  correc- 
tions you  wish  to  make. 

Lieutenant  Oatlin.  In  answer  to  question  5,  on  page  300, 1  wish  to 
change  the  language  as  follows: 

When  we  first  went  into  the  harbor,  there  were  two  extra  sentinels  put  on — one  ou 
the  forecastle  and  one  on  the  poop — armed  with  rifles.  They  had  special  orders  to 
challenge  all  boats  which  approached  the  ship  near  enough  for  a  challenge,  and  in 
case  any  boat  came  toward  the  ship — evidently  coming  to  the  ship — to  report  imme- 
diately to  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  who  would  report  to  the  officer  of  the  deck. 

On  page  307,  line  12,  it  should  read,  "The  corporal  ol  the  guard." 
instead  of  "  The  corporal's  guard." 

At  the  bottom  of  the  page  it  should  be  "a  heavy  concussion,"  instead 
of  "  a  loud  concussion." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  now  correct? 

Lieutenant  Catlin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Boatswain  Larkin  entered. 

The  Judge- Advocate.    You  have  read  over  your  testimony? 

Boatswain  Larkin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct,  as  recorded  ? 

Boatswain  Larkin.  With  two  changes. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  State  what  corrections  you  wish  to  make. 

Boatswain  Larkin.  I  wish  the  answer  to  the  question  "How  did  you 
get  there?"  meaning  the  poop  deck,  on  page  318,  to  appear  as  follows: 
"I  climbed  over  a  small  wing  awning  on  the  main  deck  leading  to  the 
poop  deck,  on  the  port  side  of  the  cabin." 

The  Judge-Advocate.  You  wish  to  change  the  first  sentence  in 
that  answer,  do  you,  to  what  you  have  just  said? 

Boatswain  Larkin.  "I  climbed  over  a  small  wing  awning  on  the 
poop  deck"  should  be  "I  climbed  over  a  small  wing  awning  on  the 
main  deck  leading  to  the  poop  deck,  on  the  port  side  of  the  cabin." 

The  Judge-Advocate.  That  is  the  way  you  want  it  to  read — that 
first  sentence? 

Boatswain  Larkin.    Yes,  sir. 

On  page  319,  in  answer  to  the  question  "You  did  not  see  any  men  on 
the  port  side?"  I  wish  to  say,  "I  didn't  see  anything  at  all  on  the  port 
side." 

The  Judge-Advocate.  That  is  the  way  you  wish  your  answer  to 
read? 

Boatswain  Larkin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony,  as  amended,  correct? 

Boatswain  Larkin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


160  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Private  Edward  McKay,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps,  appeared  as  a  wit- 
ness betore  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached? 

A.  Edward  McKay,  private,  U".  S.  Marine  Corps,  attached  to  U.  S. 
battle  ship  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  State  exactly  where  you  were  at  the  first  intimation  there  was  of 
any  trouble. 

A.  I  was  right  on  the  poop. 

Q.  On  which  side  ? 

A.  I  was  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Aft  or  forward  ? 

A.  Aft. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing  there  1 

A.  I  was  on  watch,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw,  in  regard  to  the 
destruction  of  the  Maine. 

A.  I  walked  over  to  the  starboard  side  and  was  looking  over  the  side  to 
see  if  there  was  any  boats  around  the  ship,  and  there  didn't  seem  to  be 
a  ripple  on  the  water  at  all.  There  wasn't  a  boat  in  sight;  I  didn't 
have  to  challenge  a  boat  that  night  above  all  nights.  I  was  looking 
over  the  starboard  side,  and  all  at  once  there  was  a  flash  of  fire  hit  me 
right  in  the  face  and  knocked  me  about  half  way  across  the  deck,  and 
during  the  flash  the  explosion  came — just  immediately  afterwards.  After 
the  flash  hit  me  in  the  face,  then  the  explosion  was,  and  the  wood  and 
iron  commenced  to  fall  around  and  lit  on  the  awning  all  around  me; 
and  shortly  after  the  officers  came  up.  I  thought  I  was  the  only  one 
left  on  the  ship  when  the  explosion  came,  and  the  officers  came  up  and 
we  lowered  the  two  boats  and  jumped  into  the  boats  to  pick  up  the 
men  floating  around. 

Q.  Were  the  poop  awnings  spread? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  first  thing  you  felt? 

A.  The  first  thing  I  felt  was  a  shock. 

Q.  Of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  it  feel? 

A.  It  felt  as  if  it  was  rising  up. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  more  than  one  of  these  shocks? 

A.  Only  one,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  any  noise? 

A.  I  didn't  hear  a  bit  of  noise,  only  the  explosion. 

Q.  One  explosion? 

A.  One  explosion. 

Q.  Did  the  explosion  come  before  this  first  shock  or  afterwards? 

A.  It  came  after  the  shock. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  water  thrown  up  into  the  air? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  shoot  of  flame  up  into  the  air? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

Q.  The  awning  obstructed  your  view,  did  it? 

A.  Yes;  the  forward  part  of  the  ship.  All  I  saw  was  the  flash  hit 
me  in  the  face;  the  flash  of  fire,  and  then  the  explosion. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     161 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  a  flash  in  your  face? 

A.  The  same  as  if  anything  would  strike  you  in  the  face.  It  seemed 
like  a  flash  of  fire. 

Q.  You  do  not  mean  that  it  was  right  in  your  face  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  but  it  seemed  as  if  it  was  striking  you  in  the  face — the 
flash  was,  and  then  the  explosion  followed  afterwards. 

Q.  Where  was  the  fire? 

A.  It  seemed  to  be  coming  from  about  the  middle  part  of  the  ship. 

Q.  It  was  a  long  way  from  where  you  were? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  was. 

Q.  How  far  forward  could  you  see? 

A.  I  could  see  to  the  superstructure,  about  amidships,  sir. 

Q.  Why  could  you  not  see  farther  than  that? 

A.  The  awnings  stopped  my  view,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  sensitive  of  a  vivid  flash  of  flame  or  light,  as  I  under- 
stand it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  have  the  sensation  of  the  shock  to  the  ship  before  that, 
or  at  the  same  instant? 

A.  They  came  both  very  near  the  same  instant,  but  there  was  a  small 
shock  before  the  flame  came  up. 

Q.  The  ship  seemed  to  rise,  did  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  seemed  as  if  something  lifted  her  up  and  tipped  her 
right  over  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  Then  was  there  an  explosion  besides  that? 

A.  The  explosion  was  just  after  the  light  was,  when  the  fire  seemed 
to  strike  me  in  the  face.  The  fire  came  right  instantly  afterwards.  Then 
the  ship  blew  up  and  keeled  over  onto  the  port  side. 

Q.  But  the  first  shock,  the  lifting  of  the  deck  under  your  feet,  was 
the  first  thing  you  felt? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  was  only  one  shock  that  I  felt. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  did  not  feel  the  explosion? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  that  the  shock? 

A.  The  shock  and  the  explosion  was  at  the  same  time. 

Q.  Where  did  the  flash  come  in  with  reference  to  the  lifting  of  the 
deck  and  the  explosion  ? 

A.  It  seemed  to  come  from  about 

Q.  I  did  not  ask  where  it  came  from.  You  were  standing  on  your 
feet  when  the  shock  came? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  When  you  heard  the  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  they  together,  instantly  ? 

A.  They  were  instantly  together.  You  could  not  notice  the  differ- 
ence between.    It  was  just  like  that  [indicating]. 

Q.  Was  the  flash  between  them? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
S.  Doc.  207 11 


162  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

tunity  to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Apprentice  Ambeose  Ham,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Give  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Ambrose  Ham,  apprentice,  first  class,  U.  S.  Navy. 

Q.  What  ship? 

A  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  At  the  first  intimation  of  any  trouble,  tell  us  exactly  where  you 
were. 

A.  I  was  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  poop,  near  the  forward 
6  pounder. 

Q.  Near  the  forward  break  of  the  poop? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing  there  ? 

A.  I  was  standing  there.  I  had  just  been  talking  to  Waters.  I 
don't  know  his  first  name.     He  was  a  lamplighter. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing  there;  were  you  on  duty? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  on  duty. 

Q.  What  duty? 

A.  Signal  duty. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw  of  the 
destruction  of  the  Maine. 

A.  I  was  standing  facing  forward,  and  I  was  about  to  turn  around 
when  I  saw  a  flash  of  light — a  flame,  which  seemed  to  envelop  the 
whole  ship — followed  by  a  report.  I  was  struck  in  the  face  by  a  flying 
piece  of  iron.  Then  there  was  a  perfect  hail  of  flying  iron  fell  all  about 
me.  Then  the  second  report.  I  saw  the  things  flying  from  forward.  I 
didn't  know  exactly  where  the  explosion  was.  After  that  the  officers 
came  up  on  the  poop,  and  I  assisted  in  lowering  the  gig. 

Q.  You  speak  of  two  explosions? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  sounded  like  a  roar,  the  second  one. 

Q.  What  did  the  first  one  sound  like? 

A.  It  was  a  sharp  report. 

Q.  How  far  were  they  apart? 

A.  There  was  only  an  interval  of  a  couple  of  seconds. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  the  ship  shake  at  either  explosion? 

A.  The  ship  seemed  to  lift  right  out  of  the  water. 

Q.  At  which  explosion? 

A.  At  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  trembling  or  shaking  or  lifting  of  the  ship  at  the 
first  explosion  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  When  did  you  see  the  flame  you  speak  of? 

A.  The  first  thing. 

Q.  Before  you  heard  either  explosion  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  say  there  was  a  decided,  distinct  interval  between  the  two 
explosions  ? 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     163 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  One  was  like  a  shot  and  the  other  like  a  roar  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  second  one  being  the  roar  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Could  you  see  any  large  upshoot  of  flame  forward  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  is  where  I  saw  it  first. 

Q.  Before  either  one? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  But  at  the  second  explosion  did  you  see  any  large  upshoot  of 
flame? 

A.  No,  sir.  At  the  second  explosion  I  was  hit  in  the  face,  and  I  had 
to  cover  my  face  like  that  [indicating]  to  avoid  some  flying  pieces  of 
iron.     So  I  couldn't  see  no  more  after  that. 

Q.  Was  there  any  trembling  of  the  ship  at  the  first  shot? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Were  you  looking  forward  at  the  time? 
A.  I  was  about  to  turn  around  when  I  saw  the  flash. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  histestimony  and  asked  to  withdraw  for 
the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will  be 
again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Hood  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Lieutenant  Hood,  have  you  read  over  your 
testimony? 

Lieutenant  Hood.  I  have. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Do  you  find  it  correct? 

Lieutenant  Hood.  I  find  it  correct  with  the  exception  of  a  few  slight 
changes. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Will  you  please  read  them  to  the  stenog- 
rapher? 

Lieutenant  Hood.  On  page  249,  in  the  first  answer,  leave  out  "  late." 

On  page  251,  in  the  second  answer,  leave  out  "I"  and  substitute 
"ammunition  was." 

On  page  256,  in  the  first  line,  leave  out  "went  up  on"  and  substitute 
"reached."  On  the  same  page,  in  the  ninth  line,  insert  "had"  at  the 
beginning  of  the  line. 

On  page  260,  in  the  third  line,  substitute  "to  "  for  "through."  In  the 
second  answer  on  the  same  page,  leave  out  the  word  "gun."  In  the 
third  line  from  the  bottom  on  page  261,  put  a  period  after  "air"  and 
leave  out  the  word  "but." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

Lieutenant  Hood.  It  is  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Blow  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Lieutenant  Blow,  have  you  read  over  your 
testimony? 


164     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Lieutenant  Blow.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.    Is  it  correct  as  recorded1? 

Lieutenant  Blow.  It  is  practically  correct,  with  one  exception.  On 
page  272,  I  wish  to  say:  "I  can  recall  two  occasions  when  the  ship  was 
heading  in  the  same  direction,  approximately." 

Lieutenant  Blow,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  witness  heretofore  examined, 
resumed  the  witness  stand,  and,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding,  testified  as 
follows : 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  I  wish  to  ask  you,  Mr.  Blow,  the  comparative  amount  of  wreckage 
on  the  port  and  starboard  sides,  as  you  pulled  around  the  ship. 

A.  The  wreckage  on  the  starboard  side  was  much  greater.  It  began, 
I  should  say,  about  on  the  starboard  beam,  and  extended  completely 
around  what  was  the  bow  of  the  ship.  There  was  wreckage  on  the 
port  bow,  but  a  small  amount,  as  I  remember  it.  I  should  think  the 
wreckage  on  the  starboard  side  extended  as  much  as  half  a  ship's 
length  from  the  side. 

The  testimony  of  the  witness  was  then  read  over  to  him  by  the 
stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct.  The  witness  then  with- 
drew, after  being  cautioned  not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining 
to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Boyd,  have  you  read  over  your  testimony  ! 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd.  I  have. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd.  It  is  not. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Do  you  wish  to  make  some  corrections'? 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Please  state  them  to  the  stenographer. 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd.  On  page  298  the  question  is  understood  to 
mean  "What  are  your  duties  as  mate  of  the  berth  deck  after  sunset?" 
My  answer  should  read:  "To  see  that  all  compartments  are  water-tight 
except  those  authorized  to  be  open."  One  unnecessary  sentence  should 
be  struck  out. 

On  page  302,  "Was  there  any  listing  of  the  ship?"  should  be:  "Was 
there  any  lifting  of  the  ship,"  the  word  "lifting"  being  emphatic. 

On  page  303,  in  the  answer  reading  "There  is  a  hatch  in  the  for- 
ward compartment,"  strike  out  the  word  "forward."  On  the  same 
page,  in  the  sentence  reading  "There  is  a  passage  between  the  rooms," 
the  word  "sail"  should  be  inserted  before  the  word  "room."  On  the 
same  page  the  question  "How  did  you  get  down  to  the  magazines?"  is 
understood  as  "  How  did  you  get  down  to  the  10-inch  magazine?" 

The  Judge- Advocate.  As  amended,  your  testimony  is  correct? 

Naval  Cadet  Boyd.  It  is  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Apprentice  C.  J.  Dressler,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  G.  J.  Dressier;  apprentice,  first-class,  U.  S.  Navy;  attached  to  the 
U.  S.  S.  Maine. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     165 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  State  to  the  court  exactly  where  you  were  at  the  first  intimation 
there  was  of  any  trouble. 

A.  I  was  up  in  the  midship  superstructure,  on  the  port  side,  right 
abreast  the  crane  locker. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing  there? 

A.  I  had  been  writing  a  letter  at  the  time. 

Q.  You  were  writing  at  the  time  it  started? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  heard,  felt,  and  saw. 

A.  I  didn't  feel  anything,  nor  I  didn't  see  anything;  but  I  must  have 
lost  my  senses  at  the  time,  because  when  I  came  to  again  I  had  been 
sitting  on  the  hammock  netting  on  the  same  side.  I  didn't  feel  no 
shock,  nor  I  didn't  see  anything  at  all.  I  guess  something  must  have 
struck  me  and  knocked  me  senseless;  but  as  soon  as  I  came  to,  two  or 
three  minutes  afterwards,  I  had  been  sitting  on  a  hammock  netting. 

Q.  I  understood  you  to  tell  me  yesterday  that  you  felt  the  shocks. 
Did  I  misunderstand  you  ? 

A.  I  believe  you  misunderstood  me. 

Q.  The  first  thing  you  knew  was  when  you  recovered  from  being 
knocked  senseless? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  did  you  see? 

A.  While  I  was  sitting  on  the  hammock  netting  I  saw  the  boats. 
Mr.  Bronson  was  in  the  whaleboat.  He  pulled  around  the  ship  and 
tried  to  save  those  that  he  could.  There  was  two  or  three  Spanish 
boats  came  alongside,  and  all  those  that  they  could  rescue  they  took 
off,  I  suppose.  I  didn't  see  anything  further, .because  I  went  in  one  of 
the  Spanish  boats  and  went  aboard  of  the  Spanish  man-of-war  myself. 

Q.  You  were  sitting  on  the  hammock  rail  of  the  superstructure  deck, 
were  you  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Whereabouts?     Which  side? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  On  the  port  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  just  in  front  of  you  that  was  not  there  usually? 

A.  The  boats  were  there — the  two  Spanish  boats — right  there  on  the 
port  side. 

Q.  I  am  not  speaking  about  that.  I  am  speaking  about  the  wreck 
now. 

A.  The  smokestacks.  They  went  right  over  the  superstructure.  They 
laid  right  slantingly  across  the  after  part  of  the  superstructure,  and  the 
crane  was  doubled  right  up.    It  hadn't  been  knocked  down  though. 

Q.  That  was  on  which  side  ? 

A.  On  the  port  side,  The  water  was  just  even  with  the  awning  on 
that  side.    The  awning  was  flapping  up  and  down  in  the  water. 

Q.  What  awning  was  that  1 

A.  That  was  the  main-deck  awning. 

Q.  You  were  sitting  above  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  over  on  top  of  the  hammock  netting. 

Q.  How  far  was  this  from  the  place  you  were  sitting  before  the  explo- 
sion? 


166  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  I  don't  suppose  more  than  two  or  three  steps.  I  was  sitting  right 
down  on  deck,  under  a  light. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Carpenter  Helm  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Helm,  is  your  testimony,  as  recorded, 

correct ? 

Carpenter  Helm.  It  is  except  for  the  following  corrections : 

On  page  3122  my  answer  should  read,  "One  water-tight  door  frame 

of  paymaster's  issuing  room  was  not  in  good  condition,  and  wasreeom- 

mened  to  be  repaired  at  the  navy-yard,  as  it  could  not  be  repaired 

by  the  ship's  force." 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  You  wish  to  add  that  to  the  answer  you  have  given? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  was  this  issuing  room? 

A.  It  was  forward,  over  the  6-inch  magazine,  two  decks  above. 

On  page  323  I  would  like  to  change  "  she  listed  to  starboard"  to  "she 
listed  to  port."  I  would  like  to  have  the  word  "none"  changed,  on  that 
same  page,  to  "not"  in, answer  to  the  question  "Were  you  injured  in 
anyway?" 

On  page  324,  in  the  fourth  answer,  I  wish  to  strike  out  "as  they  taper 
so  low  there,"  and  in  the  same  answer  strike  out  the  word  "guess"  and 
insert  "think." 

On  page  325,  in  the  third  answer,  change  "three  and  three- quarters" 
to  "four  and  three-quarters." 

Q.  As  amended,  is  your  testimony  correct? 

A.  It  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Sergeant  Michael  Mehan,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps,  appeared  as  a  wit- 
ness before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 
Q.  State  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  Michael  Mehan;  sergeant  U.  S.  Marine  Corps;  serving  on  board 
the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing?     Were  you  on  duty?   - 

A.  On  duty,  sir. 

Q.  As  what? 

A.  As  sergeant  of  the  guard,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  first  sign  of  any  trouble? 

A.  On  the  starboard  gangway. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     167 

Q.  On  what  part  of  the  gangway? 

A.  It  was  about  midways  in  the  gangway,  between  the  forward  turret 
and  the  after  part  of  the  gangway. 

Q.  About  abreast  of  the  crane  ? 

A.  About  abreast  of  the  crane;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  the  main  deck? 

A.  On  the  main  deck. 

Q.  You  were  standing  up? 

A.  Standing  up. 

Q.  Lookiug  which  way? 

A.  I  was  looking  outboard,  sir. 

Q.  State  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  I  was  in  the  gangway  when  I  first  heard  this  explosion.  The 
next  thing  I  knew  about  it  I  was  fired  overboard  in  the  water — lifted 
clean  off  the  gangway  and  fired  in  the  water.  The  next  thing  I  was 
picked  up  by  a  boat. 

Q.  You  heard  only  one  explosion  ? 

A.  Only  one  explosion. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  shock  before  that  explosion  ? 

A.  The  explosion  and  the  shock,  I  thought,  was  both  together. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  ship  were  you  thrown? 

A.  When  I  came  up  from  the  surface  of  the  water  I  was  about  15  or 
20  feet  out  from  the  gangway  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Were  you  knocked  senseless  ? 

A.  No. 

Q.  Simply  lifted  up  and  out? 

A.  Lifted  up  and  thrown  out  in  the  water. 

Q.  How  high  did  you  go  ? 

A.  I  don't  think  I  went  very  high  in  the  air.  I  was  simply  thrown 
out  in  the  water.  When  I  left  the  ship  I  must  have  swam  oat,  because 
when  I  came  up  I  was  about  15  or  20  feet  from  the  side  of  the  ship. 
That  is  about  all  I  know  about  it.  Afterwards  I  was  picked  up  by  a 
boat. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  were  thrown  off  where? 

A.  I  was  thrown  off  the  starboard  gangway  out  in  the  water. 

Q.  Could  you  describe  the  kind  of  motion  of  the  deck? 

A.  I  could  not,  sir;  I  thought  the  deck  came  right  up  and  fired 
me  out. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Corporal  Frank  G-.  Thompson,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps,  appeared  as  a 
witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 
Q.  State  your  fuli  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  Frank  G-.  Thompson;  corporal,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps;  attached  to 
and  serving  on  board  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 


168  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  ! 

A.  I  was,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  first  intimation  of  any  trouble? 

A.  Lying  in  my  hammock. 

Q.  Where  was  your  hammock? 

A.  On  the  port  gangway. 

Q.  Describe  where  on  the  port  gangway  and  how  it  was  slung. 

A.  It  was  slung  from  the  first  stanchion  forward  of  the  gangway — 
from  the  stanchion  to  the  port. 

Q.  Eight  across  the  main  deck,  then? 

A.  Eight  across  the  main  deck. 

Q.  In  the  afterpart  of  the  gangway? 

A.  In  the  afterpart  of  the  gangway. 

Q.  About  how  far  forward  of  the  turret? 

A.  About  25  feet— 20  feet. 

Q.  Which  way  was  your  head? 

A.  Inboard,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  wide  awake? 

A.  I  was  wide  awake.  I  was  looking  aft,  with  the  blanket  just  over 
my  head.  I  was  lying  there  just  making  my  self  comfortable.  Itseems 
as  though  I  had  made  myself  comfortable  to  have  a  night's  rest.  It 
was  my  night  off,  and  I  had  just  turned  in.  I  hadn't  turned  in  more 
than  fifteen  minutes — ten  minutes,  I  don't  believe,  at  the  latest. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Maine. 

A.  The  first  1  realized,  lying  in  my  hammock,  I  was  deliberately 
thrown  in  the  air  through  the  port  awning  on  the  port  side.  I  went  as 
high  as  the  superstructure,  because  I  could  see  the  superstructure.  I 
landed  on  my  side,  here  where  I  have  the  scar.  I  laid  on  the  deck 
stunned  for  about  two  or  three  seconds,  it  would  seem.  Just  then  the 
ship  seemed  to  give  a  lurch,  and  she  gradually  commenced  to  sink. 
As  she  commenced  to  sink  I  realized  where  my  position  was  and  I 
regained  my  feet.  I  grasped  the  ridgerope,  and  hung  onto  the  ridge- 
rope  until  the  water  had  come  up  almost  to  my  neck.  Just  then  naval 
cadet  Mr.  Bronson  came  along  in  the  boat  and  threw  me  a  line.  He 
told  me  I  would  either  have  to  sink  or  swim  for  my  life.  I  let  go,  and 
I  went  down  once  and  came  up.  I  grasped  the  rope  and  they  pulled 
me  to  the  boat. 

Q.  That  was  the  ridgerope  that  was  going  along  the  port  gangway! 

A.  The  port  gangway,  where  the  awning  was  made  fast. 

Q.  The  awning  was  in  the  port  gangway? 

A.  In  the  port  gangway. 

Q.  You  think  you  were  thrown  through  that  awning? 

A.  I  was  thrown  deliberately  through  it,  because  I  remember  coming 
down  through  it  to  where  I  was  lying  there. 

Q.  I  suppose  the  awning  itself  was  thrown  up? 

A.  It  must  have  been,  because  I  remember  there  was  a  rent  in  the 
awning  where  I  came  through. 

Q.  Did  you  go  up  in  the  air  at  the  very  first  shock  you  felt? 

A.  That  was  the  first  thing  I  realized. 

Q.  What  did  you  hear  at  that  time? 

A.  I  didn't  hear  anything. 

Q.  Did  you  see  anything? 

A.  I  couldn't  see  anything  on  account  of  the  darkness  and  smoke, 
and  I  smelt  steam. 

Q.  Were  you  stunned? 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     169 

A.  I  was  stunned;  yes,  sir.  I  was  stunned  for  two  or  three  seconds 
before  I  realized  where  I  was.  I  thought  at  first  that  war  had  taken 
place  and  the  Spaniards  had  opened  on  us.  I  heard  groaning  and  men 
crying  for  help. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  This  was  outside  the  superstructure1?  You  were  on  the  main 
deck? 

A.  On  the  main  deck;  yes,  sir;  port  side. 

Q.  That,  of  course,  was  not  your  billet? 

A.  No,  sir ;  my  billet  was  below  in  the  marine  quarters,  but  being  so 
close  down  below,  there  was  two  or  three  of  the  boys  slept  on  the  port 
gangway. 

Q.  Were  you  forward  or  abaft  of  the  crane? 

A.  I  was  abaft  the  crane.  I  had  been  reading  up  to  9  o'clock  that 
night.  Sergeant  Brown,  the  mail  orderly,  wanted  me  to  give  him  the 
book  I  had  after  I  was  through  with  it.  I  read  until  very  nearly  10 
minutes  past  9.  Then  I  took  the  book  down  below  to  the  master-at- 
arms  compartment.  Sergeant  Brown  was  lying  down  there,  where  he 
always  slept,  and  I  gave  him  the  book  and  went  up  to  the  head.  From 
the  head  I  came  down  to  the  port  gangway,  and  had  just  turned  in  in 
my  hammock. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Lieutenant  Jungken  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Mr.  Jungen,  you  have  read  over  your  testi- 
mony? 

A.  I  have,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

A.  I  desire  to  make  some  corrections,  as  follows: 

Page  283,  line  14,  for  the  word  "watch  "  substitute  the  word  "  hold." 

Page  284,  line  16,  for  the  word  "an"  substitute  the  word  "a,"  and 
between  "a"  and  the  word  "explosion"  insert  the  words  "well 
defined,"  so  that  the  whole  sentence  will  read  "It  was  not  a  well- 
defined  explosion." 

Same  page,  line  25,  erase  the  word  "or"  after  the  word  "ashes,"  and 
in  place  thereof  insert  "mingled  with,"  so  as  to  read  "ashes  mingled 
with  brown  smoke." 

Same  page,  last  line,  for  the  word  "try"  insert  "see." 

Page  285,  line  4,  for  the  word  "then"  substitute  the  words  "after 
that." 

Same  page,  line  21,  erase  the  word  "there"  and  substitute  the  words 
"the  harbor." 

Page  286,  line  19,  after  the  first  word  "boat"  insert  the  word  "fall." 

Same  page,  same  line,  after  the  second  word  "boat"  insert  the  word 
"fall." 

Page  287,  line  2,  for  the  word  "  got"  substitute  the  word  "  was." 


170  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Same  page,  line  12,  put  the  following  word  "having"  before  the  word 
"only." 

Same  page,  line  13,  erase  the  last  two  words  "and  myself." 

Same  page,  line  17,  between  the  words  "took"  and  "the"  insert  the 
words  "charge  of,"  and  in  the  same  line,  after  the  word  "around,"  add 
the  words  "the  stern  of  the  ship." 

Same  page,  line  23,  after  the  word  "turret"  insert  the  words  "On  the 
starboard  side." 

Same  page,  line  28,  for  the  word  "starboard"  substitute  the  word 
"port"  and  erase  the  word  "again." 

Same  page,  line  29,  erase  the  word  "then"  after  the  word  "ship." 

Page  290,  line  20,  for  the  word  "boat"  substitute  the  word  "men." 

Same  page,  line  26,  after  the  word  "around"  add  the  words  "that 
way." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

A.  It  is. 

Lieut.  0.  W.  Jungen,  recalled  to  the  witness  stand  and  warned  by 
the  president  that  the  oath  previously  taken  by  him  was  still  binding. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  the  comparative  amount  of  wreckage  on  the  port  and 
starboard  sides  when  you  were  pulling  around  the  ship  in  the  barge. 

A.  It  appeared  to  me  most  of  it  was  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Was  not  nearly  all  of  it  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  The  only  noticeable  wreckage  on  the  port  side  that  I  could  see  at 
all  was  the  smoke  pipe.  I  would  like  to  add  that  my  impression  at 
first  was,  when  I  saw  the  wreckage,  that  the  explosion  was  on  the 
starboard  side,  because  I  saw  something  that  looked  to  me  like  the 
starboard  forward  turret  having  been  thrown  up  to  port.  That  turned 
out  afterwards  to  be  the  superstructure,  as  I  learned;  also  that  what  I 
took  to  be  the  port  crane  was  standing. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Master  at  Arms  John  B.  Load,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  John  B.  Load,  master  at  arms,  third  class,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached 
to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  duty  as  master  at  arms  the  night  of  the  destruction 
of  the  Maine? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not.  The  second-class  master  at  arms  was  on 
duty. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  first  intimation  of  any  trouble  ? 

A.  I  had  just  left  the  second-class  master  at  arms,  and  he  was  telling 
me  if  I  wanted  the  keys  during  the  night,  or  in  case  they  should  be 
wanted,  where  to  get  them.  I  left  him  to  go  to  my  hammock,  which 
was  slung  underneath  the  middle  superstructure,  right  outside  the 
armory  door. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  moment  you  felt  the  first  trouble? 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  171 

A.  I  was  just  taking  off  my  shirt,  and  was  going  to  turn  in.  From 
where  I  was  standing  I  could  look  out  the  after  door. 

Q.  That  is  right  by  the  armory'? 

A.  Eight  by  the  armory,  sir;  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  On  the  after  part  of  the  superstructure1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Your  hammock  was  inside  the  superstructure,  forward  of  the 
armory? 

A.  Forward  of  the  armory. 

Q.  And  nearly  abreast  of  the  door? 

A.  Nearly  abreast  of  the  door. 

Q.  You  were  about  abreast  of  the  refrigerator? 

A.  I  was  close  to  where  that  steerage  ice  box  stood ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  standing  up  at  the  time? 

A.  I  was  standing  up  at  the  time.  1  had  just  put  my  shirt  on  the 
hammock. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  You  could  see  a  red  flame  outside  the  ship.  It  seemed  as  if  it 
was  a  small  boat  had  struck  the  ship  at  first.  She  seemed  to  tremble, 
and  then  the  whole  deck  where  I  was  standing  seemed  to  open,  and  there 
was  a  flash  of  flame  came  up,  and  whether  1  went  up  in  the  air,  or 
whether  I  went  down,  1  couldn't  say  at  first.  Then  I  found  myself  down 
below,  and  the  water  rushing  in  on  me.  I  could  hear  a  second  explo- 
sion, and  it  seemed  to  lift  the  weight  off  of  what  was  on  me  where  I 
was  lying  down,  and  I  managed  to  crawl  out  of  there.  I  found  myself 
on  the  port  side  of  the  upper  superstructure.  That  place  all  seemed  to 
be  cleared.  At  that  time  the  port  awning  was  burning,  and  people 
was  lying  on  it.  Schwartz  was  one.  He  called  me  byname  and  asked 
me  to  give  him  some  help  to  get  off  of  there.  The  only  thing  I  could 
find  was  a  piece  of  wire  rope.  I  helped  him  and  two  or  three  others, 
but  I  don't  know  their  names.  Privates  Lutz,  Marine,  and  Galpin 
were  up  there.  Then  I  called  out  for  assistance,  for  a  boat,  the  Ward 
Line  boat.  At  that  time  Mr.  Bronson  was  coming  along  in  the  whale- 
boat,  and  he  called  out  "Courage."    He  says:  "Help  is  coming." 

Then  1  asked  him  for  his  painter,  and  I  made  it  fast  to  one  of  the 
cradles  that  was  remaining  there,  and  I  helped  these  others  to  get  into 
the  boat.  I  was  going  to  get  in  myself,  but  Lutz  called  out  "Give  me 
some  help  here;  there  is  two  men  dying."  We  managed  to  get  them 
and  throw  them  over.  We  had  no  way  of  putting  them  down.  One 
was  Erricson  and  the  other  was  Smith.  Smith  fell  in  the  water  too  far 
from  the  boat  to  receive  assistance,  and  Mr.  Bronson  jumped  out  of  the 
boat  and  swam  to  him.  It  was  only  a  short  distance,  but  the  water 
appeared  to  be  boiling  up  around  there  at  the  time.  Then  I  got  up 
from  there  and  was  intending  to  make  the  boat  myself.  I  walked, 
around  the  hammock  netting  a  little,  and  I  slipped  and  fell  overboard. 
I  got  onto  a  chest,  and  I  was  picked  up  by  a  Spanish  shore  boat.  We 
went  all  around  the  ship  in  the  boat  and  picked  up  Bau,  seaman,  and 
Mike  Malone,  fireman,  but  Mike  fell  out  of  the  boat  afterwards ;  he  was  so 
badly  hurt  we  couldn't  hold  him  in.  Then  I  was  transferred  to  another 
Spanish  boat,  and  we  were  taken  ashore. 

Q.  You  say  at  the  first  shock  you  were  knocked  down  somewhere? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Below? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  yourself? 

A.  I  thought  I  was  on  the  berth  deck. 


172     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  But  you  were  not  on  the  berth  deck,  were  you? 

A.  I  think  not,  sir. 

Q.  The  next  thing  you  found  yourself  on  top  of  the  middle  super- 
structure? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  you  get  up  there? 

A.  I  can  remember  coming  out  of  the  after  hatch,  sir. 

Q.  You  got  on  top  ? 

A.  On  top,  sir.  I  can  remember  all  that  was  with  me  at  the  time 
down  there.  There  was  Williams,  the  armorer;  he  was  sleeping  on 
deck  close  to  me;  and  Kane  was  standing  with  his  arms  on  the  ice 
chest.    McGinnis,  the  marine,  was  sleeping  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  They  were  all  saved  ? 

A.  They  were  all  saved,  sir,  but  the  man  that  was  sleeping  in  his 
hammock  above,  next  to  me,  was  lost. 

Q.  Who  was  that? 

A.  That  was  Calfield. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  These  men,  I  want  to  say  to  the  court,  were 
mostly  asleep.  I  have  questioned  most  of  the  men  he  has  mentioned, 
and  they  were  asleep  at  the  time. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  You  mentioned  two  explosions  ? 
A.  Two  explosions,  sir. 

By  the  Judge -Advocate  : 
Q.  How  far  apart  were  the  two  explosions  ? 

A.  About  a  minute,  as  near  as  I  can  judge;  that  is,  from  the  time  the 
deck  opened  up  until  I  heard  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  By  a  minute  you  mean  a  very  small  period  of  time? 
A.  Very  small. 
Q.  Very  quick  ? 
A.  Very  quick. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  You  do  not  mean  a  minute,  then? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  would  hardly  be  a  minute;  but  it  happened  a  little 
after  three  bells,  as  near  as  I  can  judge,  and  I  was  ashore  before  four 
bells  struck. 

Q.  Describe  the  two  explosions. 

A.  One  seemed  to  be  a  deafening  report. 

Q.  Which  one? 

A.  The  one  when  the  deck  opened.  Then,  when  I  was  down  below, 
I  imagined  it  was  a  boiler  went  up,  on  account  of  the  water  down  there. 
It  was  hot,  but  the  flame  that  I  saw — the  deck  seemed  to  open.  It  was 
the  same  as  if  some  one  had  taken  a  revolver  and  fired  it  close  to  your 
face,  and  you  almost  suffocated.  It  felt  as  if  cotton  was  in  our  mouths 
when  we  were  down  below.  We  were  choking  down  there,  and  we  were 
drinking  water  as  it  was  coming  up  on  us,  to  try  to  get  a  little  relief. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  tried  to  get  a  drink  of  water  during 
this  time? 

A.  I  was  drinking  the  water  as  it  was  coming  up  on  me,  sir.  As  we 
were  sinking,  we  were  drinking  water  to  get  relief.  This  man  Kane 
and  myself  were  together  nearly  the  whole  time. 

Q.  Did  you  speak  with  each  other  ? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  sir  ;  we  were  speaking.  I  told  him  I  had  given  up  all 
hope  once,  and  he  told  me  he  had  given  up  all  hope. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     1  73 

Q.  Were  the  lights  out  at  this  time  f 

A.  The  lights  were  out  as  soon  as  the  first  flash.  Everything  was  in 
darkness. 

Q.  Then  you  recognized  these  people  how  ? 

A.  By  their  voices,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  the  second  explosion  differ  from  the  first  one  ? 

A.  It  didn't  seem  to  be  as  loud  a  report,  to  me,  as  the  first  one  was. 

Q.  It  did  not  seem  to  be  as  loud? 

A.  Not  as  loud,  sir. 

Q.  The  first  thing  you  knew  following  the  first  report  was  that  you 
were  thrown  down  through  the  deck  ? 

A.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  I  fell  through  the  deck  instead  of  going  up. 
The  whole  deck  seemed  to  open.  It  sounded  then  as  if  a  wagon  with  a 
lot  of  old  iron  had  been  dumped  into  a  hole.  That  was  the  noise  it  was 
making,  cracking  up  all  the  time. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he 
will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request 
was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Peter  Larsen,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 
Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  My  name  is  Peter  Larsen;   I  was   born  in  Norway;    seaman; 
attached  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  on  the  night  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  standing  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Maine  at  that  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Doing  extra  duty  ? 

A.  Extra  duty;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  quarter-deck  were  you  on? 

A.  Close  to  the  after  turret,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  It  was  not  on  the  superstructure  deck? 

A.  No,  sir;  just  that  little  passage  going  between  the  after  turret 
and  the  bulkhead. 

Q.  On  the  port  side  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Eight  near  the  gangway  between  the  turret  and  the  middle 
superstructure  ? 

A.  The  galley  door  that  leads  out  on  the  superstructure. 

Q.  Which  way  were  you  facing? 

A.  Port  side,  sir. 

Q.  What  were  you  facing? 

A.  I  just  came  walking  up,  like  this,  and  I  stopped  there. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  The  first  thing,  when  I  came  ofl  to  that  side  and  was  walking  up 


174  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

and  down,  I  heard  some  explosion  in  the  port  gangway;  something 
like  an  explosion.  I  just  turned  around,  and  then  the  big  explosion 
came,  and  I  got  thrown  aft  on  the  poop. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  first  explosion  ?  What  did  it  sound 
Uke? 

A.  Something  like  a  shot,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  it  feel  like? 

A.  It  jarred  the  ship. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  flame  or  anything  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  just  around  the  corner  came  the  flame. 

Q.  Show  us  on  the  plan  where  you  were. 

A.  Eight  here  [pointing  between  the  turret  and  the  galley].  The 
first  noise  I  heard  was  around  the  port  gangway,  where  the  ice 
machine  is. 

Q.  The  first  what? 

A.  The  first  explosion,  and  the  next  thing  I  got  thrown  up  here  on 
the  poop  deck. 

Q.  You  got  thrown  up  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  top  of  the  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  did  not  walk  up  there  at  all? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  thrown  up  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  saw  the  light  around  this  corner? 

A.  Just  coming  around  this  corner;  and  the  next  thing  I  found 
myself  up  there. 

Q.  Were  you  hurt? 

A.  No,  sir;  just  across  the  back  a  little,  and  my  arm. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  sensation  did  the  second  explosion  make  in 
regard  to  the  ship? 

A.  At  the  second  explosion  I  got  thrown  away,  and  everything 
around  me  was  flying. 

Q.  Was  there  a  distinct  interval  between  the  two,  do  you  think? 

A.  There  was  a  very  little  between  each  other,  because  I  didn't  have 
time  to  turn  around,  because  I  got  thrown  out. 

Q.  They  were  distinct,  in  your  opinion? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  distinct. 

Q.  When  did  you  see  the  flames — after  the  first  and  before  the  second  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  just  with  the  second. 

Q.  It  was  the  second  shot,  then,  that  threw  you  up  on  the  poop  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  second  shot,  because  at  the  first  I  had  just  turned 
around.    The  second  took  me  away  from  the  quarter-deck  altogether. 

Q.  Can  you  describe  any  more  carefully  the  first  shock  ? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  it  was  just  ajar,  shaking  all  over. 

Q.  It  did  not  throw  you  off  your  feet? 

A.  No,  sir  ;  it  didn't  throw  me  off  my  feet.  It  was  something  like 
the  ship  had  gone  aground.     She  was  shaking. 

Q.  How  long  do  you  think  it  was  after  the  first  shock  before  the 
second  one? 

A.  I  don't  think  there  was  more  than  about  two  seconds,  or  some^ 
thing  like  that. 

Q.  A  very  short  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  175 

Q.  The  two  were  perfectly  separate? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  judge  advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  be  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Louis  Moriniere,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 

Q.  Give  your  full  name. 

A.  Louis  Moriniere. 

Q.  What  rate? 

A.  Seaman. 

Q.  Attached  to  the  Maine? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  on  the  quarter-deck,  I  believe? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  the  main  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Whereabouts? 

A.  Between  the  after  superstructure  and  the  main  superstructure; 
abreast  the  after  turret,  sir. 

Q.  About  halfway  between  the  two  superstructures? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  closer  to  the  after  superstructure. 

Q.  Near  the  barbette? 

A.  No,  sir;  near  that  reel  there  that  the  fire  hose  is  on,  under  the 
ladder ;  close  to  the  ladder. 

Q.  That  is  not  the  after  superstructure.  That  is  the  middle  super- 
structure. You  were  close  to  the  ladder  leading  up  the  middle  super- 
structure. I  will  show  it  to  you  on  the  plan.  Which  way  were  you 
facing  at  the  time  the  trouble  commenced? 

A.  Aft,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  what  you  heard,  and  what 
you  saw ;  not  what  you  have  been  told  since — what  you  remember  your- 
self feeling. 

A.  I  heard  a  jar,  and  after  this  jar  the  explosion  went  up  through 
the  middle  superstructure.  I  heard  ajar  first,  and  almost  at  the  same 
time  of  this  jar  the  whole  middle  superstructure  went  up  in  fire,  sir. 
I  was  thrown  up  off  my  feet  and  sent  aft  against  my  will,  and  I  fell  on 
all  fours. 

Q.  You  were  thrown  down  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  looked  forward  and  saw  no  more  smokestacks.  The 
smokestacks  were  done. 

Q.  They  had  gone? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  two  smokestacks  were  gone. 

Q.  That  was  after  you  picked  yourself  up? 


176  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  got  hold  of  an  awning  stanchion  and  crawled  up  over 
something  around  there;  I  don't  know  what  it  was.  I  looked  around, 
and  I  couldn't  see  no  smokestacks. 

Q.  What  did  the  first  explosion  feel  like  to  you? 

A.  Just  ajar,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  was  it  between  that  and  the  second  explosion? 

A.  It  was  hardly  two  seconds. 

Q.  When  did  you  see  flame? 

A.  The  flame  was  in  the  port  gangway. 

Q.  When  did  that  first  come? 

A.  Just  soon  after  this  second  explosion  started. 

Q.  Which  knocked  you  down? 

A.  It  was  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  How  far  aft  were  you  thrown? 

A.  Just  about  fifteen  feet,  in  my  judgment. 

Q.  You  landed  on  your  hands  and  knees? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  couldn't  get  on  my  feet  again. 

Q.  You  could  not  get  your  feet  again? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  couldn't  get  on  my  feet.  There  was  so  much  vibration 
in  the  deck  that  I  couldn't  stand  up.  When  I  got  up  in  the  boat  along- 
side the  ship,  after  the  captain  left  the  ship,  we  saw  the  berth  deck  on 
fire  through  the  ports. 

Q.  That  was  after  you  had  left  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  She  was  very  deep  down  in  the  water  then.  She  was 
almost  level  with  the  ports. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Boatswain's  Mate  Charles  Bergman,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a 
witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Give  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  Charles  Bergman;  boatswain's  mate;  first-class;  TJ.  S.  S.  Maine. 
Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  on  the  night  of  her  destruction? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  when  it  happened? 
A.  I  was  just  between  waking  and  sleeping. 
Q.  Just  going  to  sleep? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  in  your  hammock? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  was  your  hammock  swung? 

A.  Forward  on  the  berth  deck,  in  the  forward  compartment. 
Q.  Which  side? 
A.  The  starboard  side. 
Q.  Near  the  brig? 
A.  On  the  afterpart  of  the  starboard  brig. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  177 

Q.  The  hammock  swung  fore  and  aft? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Well  outboard? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  the  first  hammock  outboard,  alongside  the  mess  locker. 
I  swung  on  top  from  the  hooks,  and  two  others  were  swinging  under- 
neath. 

Q.  What  were  the  other  men's  names  ? 

A.  Atkin  and  Fountain. 

Q.  They  were  both  killed? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  us  what  you  felt  and  what  you  experienced.  Which  way  was 
your  head  ? 

A.  Aft,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  us  what  you  felt — what  you  experienced. 

A.  I  heard  a  terrible  crash,  an  explosion  I  suppose  that  was.  Some- 
thing fell,  and  then  after  that  I  got  thrown  somewhere  in  a  hot  place. 
Wherever  that  was  I  don't  know.  I  got  burned  on  my  legs  and  arms, 
and  I  got  my  mouth  full  of  ashes  and  one  thing  and  another.  Then  the 
next  thing  I  was  in  the  water — away  under  the  water  somewhere,  with 
a  lot  of  wreckage  on  top  of  me  that  was  sinking  me  down.  After  I  got 
clear  of  that  I  started  to  come  up  to  the  surface  of  the  water  again,  and 
I  got  afoul  of  some  other  wreckage.  I  got  my  head  jammed  in,  and  I 
couldn't  get  loose,  so  I  let  myself  go  down.  Then  it  carried  me  down 
farther.  I  suppose  when  it  touched  the  bottom  somewhere  it  sort  of 
opened  out  a  bit,  and  I  got  my  head  out  and  started  for  the  surface  of 
the  water  again.  I  hit  a  lot  of  other  stuff  with  my  head,  and  then  I  got 
my  head  above  the  water.  I  got  picked  up  by  a  Spanish  boat,  one  of 
these  shore  boats,  I  think. 

Q.  When  you  found  yourself  in  the  water  first,  how  far  were  you 
from  this  ship  ? 

A.  I  must  have  been  underneath  the  ship,  as  far  as  I  can  make  out. 
At  least,  I  come  up  on  the  side. 

Q.  Near  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  got  out  through  the  bottom  or  the  side,  as  near  as  I 
can  make  out. 

Q.  You  were  the  only  man  in  that  compartment  that  was  saved? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  only  man  from  the  whole  berth  deck  except  Jerry 
Shea,  I  believe. 

Q.  Where  was  he? 

A.  He  was  in  the  fireman's  compartment,  I  believe,  forward  of  the 
marines'  compartment. 

Q.  Where  is  Shea  now  ? 

A.  He  is  in  the  hospital  at  Havana,  I  think.  I  don't  know  of  no 
other  one.  When  I  come  up,  she  was  all  settled  down  in  the  water. 
She  was  all  torn  to  pieces  then,  and  settled  down. 

Q.  Had  you  swallowed  much  water  ? 

A.  I  was  full  of  it.  I  was  pretty  near  drowned  when  I  came  up. 
When  I  got  in  the  boat  the  water  was  running  out  of  me.  I  must 
have  been  under  there  for  a  couple  of  minutes,  as  far  as  I  can  make  out. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Do  you  remember  more  than  one  shock  ? 
A.  That  is  all,  sir;  one  terrible  crash.    That  is  all  I  know  about. 
Q.  You  say  you  went  which  way;  what  became  of  you  ? 
A.  That  I  couldn't  say.    I  must  have  got  out  from  the  bottom  or  the 
side.    That  is  what  I  think.     I  don't  know  which  way  I  got  thrown 
S.  Doc.  207 12 


178  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U    S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

or  fired.  It  was  something  fearful.  There  is  nothing  to  compare  with 
it  at  all. 

Q.  You  were  not  conscious  of  having  your  head  above  water  from 
the  start  until  you  were  picked  up1?  You  did  not  know  during  that 
time  that  your  head  had  been  above  water  at  all? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  under  all  the  time.  After  I  once  got  my  head 
above  water  I  had  it  there  all  the  time. 

Q.  You  say  your  legs  and  arms  were  burned  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Those  are  the  burns  on  your  hands  now,  are  they? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  that  leg  and  arm  [indicating  his  left  leg  and 
left  arm]. 

Q.  How  large  spaces  were  burned? 

A.  It  is  burned  across  this  leg  here  [indicating].  My  arm  is  pretty 
well  healed  up  now.    There  was  a  big,  raw  burn  on  my  left  elbow. 

Q.  Y"ou  say  at  one  time  you  felt  you  were  in  a  very  hot  place? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  that  it  was  hot  air,  hot  gases? 

A.  It  must  have  been  hot  iron  or  something,  I  guess,  that  I  fell 
against.     I  got  a  lot  of  ashes  in  my  mouth  and  face.     I  know  that. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Gunner  Hill  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Hill,  have  you  read  over  your  testimony 
of  yesterday? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

A.  I  wish  to  make  a  few  changes.  On  page  315,  in  the  fourth  answer, 
strike  out  the  word  "  yes"  and  insert  "no." 

In  the  fifth  answer,  add  to  the  answer  "  I  can  remember  no  upright 
in  the  after  end  of  the  magazine  except  those  in  the  center  forming  the 
two  fore  and  aft  bins." 

Q.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaiuiug  to  the  inquiry. 
The  court  then  (at  12.40  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  2  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

Landsman  George  Fox,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached  T 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     179 

A.  George  Fox,  landsman,  U.  S.  Navy,  attached  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  | 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  I  believe  you  were  a  lamplighter  I 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  it  happened  ! 

A.  In  the  lamp  room,  sir. 

Q.  Where  is  that  lamp  room  situated? 

A.  On  the  port  side  of  the  superstructure  forward. 

Q.  The  middle  superstructure1? 

A.  The  middle  superstructure. 

Q.  Is  it  inside  the  6-inch  gun  rest? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  right  under  the  port  6-inch  gun. 

Q.  Were  you  in  there  in  your  hammock1? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  had  a  bunk  rigged  up  in  there. 

Q.  Was  the  door  locked  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  what  way  was  the  door  locked  ? 

A.  I  had  a  catch  and  a  hook,  just  a  kind  of  a  hook.  I  don't  know 
how  to  explain  it.    It  was  caught  over  a  port. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  when  this  commenced  ! 

A.  I  was  just  dozing  off. 

Q.  Tell  us  what  happened  to  you. 

A.  As  well  as  I  can  remember  I  was  thrown  up  in  the  air  and  I  came 
down  feet  first.  I  heard  the  rattling  and  the  roar  around  me,  but  it 
was  pitch  dark  and  I  couldn't  see  nothing.  I  had  to  feel  around.  I 
heard  the  men  groaning  around  me.  I  felt  a  hole  and  I  crawled  through 
that.  Then  I  seen  the  wreck  burning  on  top,  and  that  gave  me  light  to 
see  to  climb  up.  I  found  myself  in  the  middle  of  the  wreck,  pretty  high 
up,  because  I  could  look  down  and  see  the  boats  all  around  there.  Then 
I  went  down  to  the  water's  edge  and  swam  out  to  a  boat. 

Q.  Did  the  lamp  room  seem  to  be  upside  down  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  seemed  to  be  pretty  well  demolished,  as  well  as  I  could 
make  out. 

Q.  Was  it  perfectly  open  on  the  outside  for  you  to  crawl  out*? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  to  crawl  through  a  pretty  small  hole.  It  scratched 
me  all  here  [indicating]. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  particular  shock  except  this  upheaving? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  dazed  for  a  minute.    I  was  stunned. 

Q.  You  were  dazed  at  the  very  first  shock  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  realized  that  we  had  been  blown  up  some  way. 
There  was  a  strong  smell  of  powder  there  somewhere  that  nearly  gagged 
me.  It  was  some  kind  of  explosive  that  smelled  like  powder,  and  also 
the  burning  of  cotton.    I  don't  know  what  it  was  or  what  made  it. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Of  cotton? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  smelled  like  burning  cloth  of  some  kind. 

Q.  Were  your  own  clothes  burned  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  as  I  know  of.  I  was  stripped,  myself.  Of  course  my 
bedding  might  have  taken  fire;  I  don't  know.  Anyway,  that  smoke 
seemed  to  come  from  below  somewhere. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  that  you  were  stripped? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  naked,  myself.  I  didn't  have  a  stitch  on  me,  it 
being  very  warm  there. 

Q.  Did  you  go  to  bed  that  way? 


180     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  Tea,  sir ;  I  went  to  bed  that  way. 

Q.  You  heard  but  one  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  one  explosion. 

Q.  When  you  came  down  to  the  water's  edge  to  swim  out  into  the 
water,  which  side  of  the  ship  were  you  on  ? 

A.  I  was  on  the  port  side,  sir.  I  am  sure  of  that,  sir,  because  I  seen 
Mr.  Boyd  on  top  of  the  wreck.  He  called  out  to  all  hands  to  turn  to 
and  fight  the  fire.  He  said  we  had  settled  down.  That  is  the  first 
thing  I  heard  when  I  came  on  top  of  the  wreck,  and  I  weut  down  to 
the  water's  edge  and  swam  out  to  one  of  these  boats. 

Q.  You  are  sure  that  was  on  the  port  side1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  certain  of  that. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  witness 
be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to  re- 
port to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Landsman  Michael  Lanahan,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  your  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are 
attached. 

A.  My  name  is  Michael  Lanahan;  landsman;  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  ? 

A.  I  was  in  my  hammock,  over  the  starboard  6-inch  gun,  in  the  fore- 
castle. 

Q.  Over  the  starboard  6-inch  forecastle  gun? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  my  foot  was  over  the  starboard  6-inch  gun,  and  my  head 
was  aft. 

Q.  Inside  the  forward  superstructure? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  happened  to  you?    Were  you  asleep  when  it  started? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  wasn't  asleep.  I  was  just  turning  into  my  hammock. 
I  was  about  to  lie  down  in  my  hammock  when  I  felt  a  jar,  and  that  is 
all  I  remember. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  yourself? 

A.  I  found  myself  about  50  feet  from  the  ship,  out  in  the  water. 

Q.  On  which  side? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Were  you  injured? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  had  a  slight  cut  in  my  head. 

Q.  Was  anyone  else  in  that  superstructure  saved? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who? 

A.  Michael  Flynn,  Durkin,  Bloomer,  and  a  young  fellow — I  forget  his 
name.  He  is  out  in  the  hospital.  He  was  a  new  fellow  that  had  just 
come.    There  was  four  or  five  of  them  came  out  of  that  first  part. 


DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  II.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     181 

Q.  You  do  not  remember  anything  at  all  until  you  landed  in  the 
water? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  didn't  know  anything  at  all  about  it  until  I  came  up  in 
the  water. 

Q.  Some  distance  from  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  about  50  feet  out  in  the  water. 

Q.  To  starboard? 

A.  To  starboard ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  feel  in  the  way  of  shocks  or  explosions'? 

A.  I  just  felt  a  jar,  and  that  was  all — just  a  trembling,  and  that  is 
the  last  I  remember  of  it. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  did  not  hear  any  noise? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  hear  any  noise ;  just  a  trembling,  and  everything 
seemed  dumb  then.  When  I  came  up  out  of  the  water,  I  realized  what 
had  happened,  and  I  swam  for  a  buoy. 

Q.  Swam  for  what? 

A.  One  of  those  small  buoys  that  are  anchored  there. 

Q.  The  door  into  that  superstructure  was  abaft  your  head,  was 
it  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  just  abaft  of  the  gun. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  you  went  through  the  deck  or  through 
the  side? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  went  right  straight  up  and  went  out.  The  deck  must 
have  been  blown  up.  If  it  hadn't,  I  would  have  been  hurt  worse  than 
I  was.  I  couldn't  make  any  statement  about  that.  I  know  I  went  up 
through  it. 

Q.  Were  you  burned  at  all? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  wasn't  burned.  I  was  just  cut  in  the  head;  that 
was  all. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  with- 
draw for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which 
he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to 
amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request 
was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon 
he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Coal  Passer  Thomas  Melville,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  wit- 
ness before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge  Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Thomas  Melville,  coal  passer,  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  I  believe  you  were  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Maine  at  the  time 
of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  deck  were  you  on  ? 

A.  Just  right  between  the  after  turret  and  the  bulkhead  of  tha 
galley. 

Q.  In  that  passageway? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  way  were  you  facing? 


182     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  With  iny  back  turned  to  it,  sir,  and  my  face  toward  aft. 

Q.  Were  you  standing  near  Larsen? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  I  felt  something  like  electrician  right  under  my  feet. 

Q.  You  felt  what? 

A.  Something  that  appeared  to  me  like  electrician — a  loud  report — 
just  about  amidships. 

Q.  An  electric  shock,  I  suppose  you  mean? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  she  listed  over  on  the  port  side.  The  port  was  under 
water.  Her  starboard  side  was  up.  I  made  my  way  to  the  starboard 
gangway,  and  then  I  heard  the  second  report.  I  had  an  idea  that  was 
the  boilers,  from  the  ashes  and  soot  and  stuff.  I  tried  to  make  my  way 
amidships  on  the  starboard  gangway,  and  I  got  hit  with  ashes.  I  had 
an  idea  it  was  the  boilers  had  exploded.  That  opened  up  the  super- 
structure and  carried  everything  forward.  By  that  time  I  made  my  way 
aft  for  the  second  whaleboat.  Before  me  and  a  man  by  the  name  of 
McCann  could  reach  her  she  was  under  water.  I  came  back  again  to 
the  starboard  gangway,  when  the  captain's  gig  came  along  aft  with  the 
boatswain  in  her.  He  hollered  for  me  and  McCann  to  come  to  him. 
We  dove  overboard  and  swam  for  the  cutter  and  manned  her  to  save 
lives,  which  we  couldn't.  Then  the  captain's  writer — I  don't  know 
what  you  call  him;  I  guess  it  was  the  writer — hollered  for  us  to  come 
back.  We  came  back  and  stood  there,  and  the  first  lieutenant  and  the 
captain  got  in  the  gig.  The  captain  gave  orders  to  shove  off  and  for 
all  boats  to  leave  her,  to  look  out  for  the  magazines.  That  was  the 
captain's  orders.  We  went  around  her  a  couple  of  times  and  looked 
for  lives,  but  couldn't  find  any.  Then  we  rowed  to  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington, at  the  captain's  order,  with  all  the  men  we  had  in  the  boat. 

Q.  When  you  felt  the  first  shock,  were  you  knocked  oif  your  feet? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  was  it  before  the  explosion,  which  you  call  a  boiler  explo- 
sion, occurred  after  the  first  shock? 

A.  It  appeared  to  me  about  a  half  a  minute  between  the  two  explosions. 

Q.  Almost  immediately,  do  you  think?  Haifa  minute,  you  know,  is 
quite  a  little  space. 

A.  The  first  explosion  raised  up  part  of  the  superstructure,  etc.,  and 
twisted  it  right  over  my  head,  and  the  awning  came  down  over  my  head. 
I  made  under  it  for  the  starboard  gangway.  When  I  got  to  the  star- 
board gangway  the  second  explosion  occurred. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  shake  as  much  after  the  second  explosion  as  after  the 
first? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  think  it  shook  more  at  the  first. 

Q.  How  was  the  sound? 

A.  It  appeared  to  me,  when  she  was  hit  starboard,  it  came  about 
amidships,  and  then  turned  and  everything  went  forward. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  flame? 

A.  Not  before  the  second  explosion.  The  first  explosion  appeared  to 
be  right  under  the  berth  deck. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  seem  to  lift  any  at  the  first  explosion? 

A.  No.  sir. 

Q.  She  just  trembled? 

A.  She  trembled,  and  the  port  side  went  down  just  as  she  was  sti  uck. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  You  say  that  this  second  explosion  threw  everything  forward  ? 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  183 

A.  It  threw  everything  forward,  sir.  That  is  what  it  appeared  to 
me — that  it  opened  up  the  superstructure,  and  the  second  explosion 
carried  the  ironwork  out  and  struck  the  steam  launch,  made  fast  to 
the  guess  warp  of  the  starboard  side.    I  seen  that  myself. 

Q.  You  saw  what? 

A.  I  saw  when  the  steam  launch  went  down,  from  the  ironwork  of 
the  superstructure,  at  the  second  explosion. 

Q.  What  seemed  to  be  the  cause  of  the  steam  launch  going  down  ? 

A.  The  ironwork  tipped  her  over  like,  and  everything  went  right  on 
to  her — smothered  her  right  up.  It  appeared  to  me  that  way.  There 
was  a  good  deal  of  iron  blown  out  from  her.  Our  two  boilers  was 
going  forward  down  below.  That  is  what  made  me  think  it  was  so 
long,  half  a  minute  or  so,  between  the  two  explosions.  There  was  no 
boilers  going  aft.     We  had  two  going  forward. 

Q.  You  had  two  boilers  going  forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  knew  that  myself,  and  we  had  four  primed  ready  to 
steam  at  the  time. 

Q.  You  are  wrong.    The  after  boilers  were  in  use! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  two  after  boilers.  I  know  the  steam  launch  was 
lying  there  at  the  second  explosion.    I  am  sure  of  that. 

Q.  What  was  the  name  of  the  man  who  was  standing  in  that  passage 
way  between  the  turret  and  the  galley  with  you? 

A.  Pete  Larsen. 

Q.  Where  did  he  go;  what  did  he  do? 

A.  I  couldn't  tell  you,  sir.    I  didn't  see  him  at  ail. 

Q.  You  did  not  see  him  afterwards? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Larsen  simply  went  overboard? 

A.  He  disappeared  from  me,  sir.  I  couldn't  say  how  he  disappeared. 
Of  course  the  shock  took  all  the  life  out  of  me  for  a  second — for  half  a 
second.  When  I  came  to  myself,  I  knew  where  the  starboard  gangway 
was,  and  I  made  for  it.  When  I  got  there  I  found  a  fellow  by  the  name 
of  Gartrell  praying,  and  one  fellow  by  the  name  of  Lancaster,  he  was 
dead,  and  another  fellow  was  holding  on  the  gangway.  I  pulled  him 
out  of  the  water,  and  saw  that  he  was  dead,  and  I  left  him  there. 

Q.  You  are  sure  that  the  ship  listed  after  the  first  explosion? 

A.  Oh,  yes,  sir;  the  port  gangway  went  under  water  in  two  seconds, 
right  after  she  was  hit.  She  went  down  so  quick  that  when  I  got  to 
the  starboard  gangway  it  was  away  up.  The  gangway  was  clean  out 
of  water. 

Q.  The  second  explosion  had  not  occurred  at  that  time? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  before  I  reached  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Were  you  standing  up  at  the  time  of  the  first  shock? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  me  and  this  man  by  the  name  of  McCann  and  Wilber, 
coxswain  of  the  steam  launch,  we  tried  to  make  for  the  second  whale- 
boat.  We  did  make  it,  and  we  seen  it  was  under  water,  and  couldn't 
do  anything  with  it.  So  we  came  back  to  the  gangway  again,  and  by 
that  time  Wilber  fell  overboard.  He  disappeared,  and  he  told  us  after- 
wards in  the  hospital  that  he  fell  overboard.  The  boatswain  holloed 
for  me  and  McCann,  and  we  dove  overboard  and  swam  to  the  captain's 
gig- 

The  judge  advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 


184  DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Coxswain  Benjamin  E.  Wilbee,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  your  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are 
attached. 

A.  Benjamin  E.  Wilber;  coxswain;  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  not  on  the  Maine.  I  was  in  the  steam  launch  alongside 
the  ship. 

Q.  Where  was  the  steam  launch? 

A.  On  the  starboard  boom,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  have  steam  up? 

A.  Steam  up;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Hanging  to  what;  a  guess  warp? 

A.  No,  sir;  made  fast  to  the  Jacob's  ladder,  and  the  stern  hauled  aft 
to  the  grab  rope,  so  that  she  couldn't  swing  and  catch  the  smokestack. 

Q.  Who  were  in  the  boat  with  you  ? 

A.  There  was  five  of  us — Pank,  Lowman,  Nicholson,  and  Eau — five 
men  with  myself. 

Q.  Are  any  of  those  men  alive  now? 

A.  All  of  them  are  alive :  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  awake  when  it  happened? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  boat  were  you  in? 

A.  In  the  stern  sheets,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  what  happened. 

A.  What  I  know  of  it;  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  something  hit  me  in 
the  face,  and  I  didn't  know  any  more  until  I  came  up  under  the  water, 
some  distance  from  the  ship,  when  I  came  up  close  to  one  of  our  coal- 
ing booms  or  strong  back.  I  don't  know  what  it  was.  Pank,  one  of 
the  men  in  the  boat,  was  on  it.  I  don't  know  how  long  I  stayed  there, 
but  then  I  happened  to  think  of  the  sharks  that  was  in  the  water 
around  there,  and  I  swam  to  the  ship,  to  the  starboard  gangway.  I 
took  off  my  clothes  and  shoes  and  jumped  overboard  again,  and  swam 
to  the  Spanish  cutter  that  was  pretty  close  to  the  ship  then,  and  they 
took  me  on  board  the  Spanish  man-of-war  that  was  lying  there. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  how  you  got  out  of  the  launch? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  remember  one  single  thing.  I  don't  know  what 
became  of  the  boat  either. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  flame? 

A.  Just  like  a  flash  it  hit  me  in  the  face.    I  didn't  see  any  flame. 

Q.  You  were  immediately  knocked  senseless? 
I     A.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  I  was  knocked  senseless. 

Q.  How  far  were  you  from  the  ship  when  you  found  yourself  in  the 
water  ? 

A.  I  can't  exactly  say.  I  should  say  about  20  yards,  or  something 
like  that. 

Q.  Which  way  from  the  ship? 

A.  Eight  directly  out — right  broadside  off  from  the  ship. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     185 

Q.  You  were  some  distance  from  where  the  launch  had  been? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court: 
Q.  You  heard  no  explosion;  you  heard  nothing? 
A.  Fo,  sir;  I  didn't  hear  nothing. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  How  were  you  injured? 

A.  I  was  struck  on  the  side  of  the  head  here  by  something. 

Q.  The  right  side  of  your  face? 

A.  Yes,  right  here. 

Q.  Around  the  temple? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  think  it  has  injured  the  jawbone.  I  don't  know. 
I  can't  open  my  mouth.  I  can't  hear  in  the  left  ear,  and  I  am  cut  on 
the  right  arm  below  the  elbow. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Fireman  John  H.  Pank,  TJ.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are  attached. 

A.  John  Henry  Pank;  fireman,  first-class;  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  the  fireman  that  ran  the  first  steam  launch? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  in  that  launch  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  that  boat  were  you  in? 

A.  I  was  amidships,  near  the  engine  room. 

Q.  Between  the  boiler  and  the  stern  sheets? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  boat? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  Which  way  were  you  looking  when  this  thing  happened? 

A.  I  was  looking  out  to  starboard. 

Q.  Away  from  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  what  happened  to  you? 

A.  All  I  can  say,  sir,  is  that  I  heard  a  big  explosion,  and  I  was  just 
about  to  look  around  to  see  where  it  came  from,  when  something  must 
have  struck  the  steam  launch  on  the  port  side.  It  just  capsized  her 
right  over.  It  taken  us  about  25  or  30  feet  under  the  water  before  we 
could  get  out.  By  the  time  we  got  up  it  was  all  over.  We  landed 
about  30  yards  from  the  ship.    That  is  about  all  I  can  say,  sir. 

Q.  You  heard  an  explosion  on  board  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  One  or  two? 


186     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  I  only  heard  one,  sir. 

Q.  You  felt  the  boat  going  over? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  not  blown  out  of  the  boat? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  scrambled  out  as  the  boat  turned  over? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  is  the  matter  with  your  arm  ? 

A.  I  lost  two  of  the  fingers. 

Q.  How  do  you  suppose  that  happened? 

A.  I  don't  know,  sir;  unless  it  was  because  we  had  a  pretty  good  fire 
in  the  boilers  at  the  time — we  had  about  160  pounds  of  steam — and  I 
can't  account  for  it  no  other  way  except  that  when  the  boiler  struck 
the  water,  the  boiler  was  so  hot  at  the  time  it  must  have  exploded. 

Q.  You  were  knocked  senseless? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  wasn't  knocked  senseless  at  all.  The  only  place  I  was 
hurt  was  on  the  hand,  and  I  felt  that  just  as  I  started  to  come  up. 

Q.  Did  you  turn  toward  the  ship  when  you  heard  the  explosion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  flame  shoot  up  ? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  didn't  see  anything  at  all. 

Q.  I  suppose  the  boat  was  between  you  and  the  ship  when  she  was 
turning  over? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  sure  the  boat  keeled  over  and  went  down  that  way? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  am  certain  of  that. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  Were  you  carried  down  in  the  boat? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  iu  the  boat. 

Q.  Did  the  boat  turn  over  toward  the  ship  or  from  the  ship  ? 

A.  From  the  ship,  sir. 

Q.  You  say  you  think  the  boat  must  have  been  struck  by  something 
which  keeled  her  over? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  something  struck  her  on  the  starboard  side  and  just 
keeled  her  right  over. 

Q.  Was  that  any  of  the  flying  debris?  Was  it  a  piece  of  metal,  or 
was  there  anything  about  it  that  would  enable  you  to  form  a  conclu- 
sion as  to  what  it  was  struck  her? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  couldn't  tell  what  it  was  struck  her. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  whether  it  was  a  wave  or  the  water  disturbed 
by  the  explosion,  or  whether  it  was  a  piece  of  the  debris? 

A.  No,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  on  account  of 
his  crippled  condition  his  testimony  was  read  over  to  him  by  the 
stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Otto  Rau,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  name,  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are  attached. 
A.  Otto  Rau,  seaman,  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 
Q.  You  were  in  the  steam  launch  at  the  time  of  her  destruction? 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE.  187 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  awake? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  boat  were  you  in  I 

A.  I  was  standing  right  in  front  of  the  boilers. 

Q.  Forward  of  the  boilers'? 

A.  In  front  of  the  boilers ;  yes,  sir.  I  had  scrubbed  the  tape  with  my 
shirt  and  put  it  on  top  of  the  boiler,  and  at  that  minute  I  felt  the  pres- 
sure. I  don't  know  which  way  I  went  out  of  the  launch.  I  only  know 
that  I  next  felt  myself  coming  up  from  the  water.  Three  times  I  struck 
myself  against  things,  and  could  not  come  right  on  top  of  the  water. 
After  I  did  come  on  top  of  the  water,  I  was  a  good  distance  from  the 
ship,  close  up  to  Nicholson.  He  cried  for  help,  and  so  did  I,  and  we 
got  picked  up  by  a  boat. 

Q.  How  far  do  you  suppose  you  came  up  from  where  the  wreckage 
originally  was? 

A.  I  don't  know  exactly  how  far.    It  was  a  good  distance. 

Q.  How  many  explosions  did  you  hear? 

A.  I  can't  remember.    I  didn't  hear  none  at  all. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  anything  about  it? 

A.  No,  sir.  I  thought  at  first  it  was  a  boiler  from  the  steam  launch 
that  had  exploded,  and  after  I  came  on  top  of  the  water  I  took  a  look 
around  and  seen  the  ship  burning. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Fireman  William  Gartrell,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  William  Gartrell,  born  in  Washington.  I  am  a  first-class  fireman 
by  rate;  attached  to  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you? 

A.  I  were  right  down  at  the  magazine,  on  top  of  the  magazine,  when 
it  happened;  at  the  tiller  room,  right  by  the  storeroom.  I  was  lying 
down  at  the  time. 

Q.  You  were  lying  down  in  the  tiller  room? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  had  just  laid  down.  It  wasn't  a  second.  I  had  no 
sooner  laid  down,  than  it  happened. 

Q.  You  were  right  in  front  of  the  storeroom  door? 

A.  No,  sir;  that  is  a  torpedo  on  the  edge  of  the  storeroom.  It  was 
back  of  that,  where  the  gunners  keep  their  storeroom. 

Q.  About  abreast  of  the  three  wheels  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  which  side? 


188  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  You  were  on  the  port  side,  abreast  of  the  three  wheels  ? 

A.  On  the  port  side;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  in  the  steering  room,  then1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  the  steam  steering  engine  room  $ 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Not  in  the  tiller  room. 

A.  You  know,  there  are  two  magazines. 

Q.  You  were  right  by  the  three  wheels'? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  were  lying  right  in  here,  sir  [indicating].  There  is  a 
hatch  there. 

Q.  On  the  starboard  side  or  the  port  side  ? 

A.  On  the  port  side  the  hatches  are.  I  was  lying  right  on  that 
hatch.     I  had  a  mattress  there. 

Q.  You  were  in  the  steam  steering  room  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  tiller  room  is  abaft  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  and  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  Just  a  second  before  that  Rushford,  chief  machinist,  came  to  me 
and  asked  me  for  the  loan  of  the  keys  to  go  in  the  storeroom.  He  said 
he  was  restless  and  couldn't  sleep.  I  gave  him  the  keys  and  told  him  to 
put  the  keys  near  my  shoes,  that  I  was  going  to  sleep  there  that  night. 
I  laid  there.  I  had  a  book  in  my  hand  and  was  going  to  read.  Just 
then  Charley  Quinn,  an  oiler,  that  was  on  watch,  came  up  and  said: 
"We  want  some  oil."  I  said:  "It  is  funny  there  is  no  oil  out,"  and 
everything  like  that;  but  I  gave  him  the  key  and  he  got  the  oil  and 
throwed  the  key  back.  Then  I  walked  back  and  laid  down  and  went 
to  sleep.  Frank  Gardiner,  coal  passer,  was  lying  down  beside  of  me. 
Just  as  soon  as  I  laid  down,  I  was  talking  to  him  and  I  hadn't  spoke 
three  words.  He  was  telling  me  his  time  was  out  in  May,  and  I  said 
mine  was  out  in  June,  and  he  made  the  remark  that  he  was  going  to 
wait  for  me — all  like  that,  just  fooling,  and  just  then  a  flash  came.  It 
was  a  blue  flash.  It  seemed  to  me  like  it  was  right  by  the  lamp  in  the 
engine  room.     I  could  see  as  plain  as  day. 

Q.  How  could  you  see  into  the  engine  room? 

A.  I  could  see  through  the  door,  sir.  It  was  a  kind  of  a  blue  flame, 
and  it  came  all  at  once.  The  two  of  us  jumped  up,  and  I  went  on  the 
port  side  up  the  engine-room  ladder,  and  Frank  Gardiner,  he  went  up 
the  starboard  side — at  least  he  didn't  go  up,  because  he  hollered  to  me. 
He  struck  the  door  right  there  where  the  partition  separates  the  two 
doors,  and  he  must  have  struck  his  head.  He  hollered  to  me ;  he  says  : 
"  O  Jesus,  Billy,  I  am  gone."  I  didn't  stop  then,  because  the  water 
was  then  up  to  my  knees.  1  made  a  break  as  quick  as  I  could  up  the 
ladder,  and  when  I  got  up  the  ladder  into  the  steerage  room  the  ladder 
was  gone.  Everything  was  dark.  I  couldn't  see  nothing  ;  everything 
was  pitch  dark,  and  I  gave  up,  or  I  started  to  give  up.  There  was  a 
colored  fellow  with  me  ;  I  didn't  know  his  name  until  afterwards.  His 
name  was  Harris.  We  got  hold  of  each  other.  I  says  :  "Let's  give 
up  ;  there  is  no  hope."  I  started  in  to  say  a  prayer  the  best  I  knew 
how,  and  I  heard  a  voice.  It  must  have  been  an  officer  ;  it  couldn't 
have  been  a  man's  voice,  because  he  says  :  "  There  is  hope,  men."  I 
knew  from  that  that  he  was  an  officer.  After  that  I  seen  a  little  light. 
It  looked  like  an  awful  distance  from  me,  but  I  made  for  that  light,  and 
when  I  got  there  it  seemed  like  I  could  see  the  heavens.  I  got  jammed 
in  the  ladder.    My  head  was  right  up  against  the  deck.    I  seen  the 


DESTRUCTION   OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  189 

ladder,  and  I  caught  hold  of  Harris,  and  the  two  of  us  hugged  each 
other. 

Q.  You  got  hold  of  who  ? 

A.  The  ladder  was  hung  crossways  on  top.  There  wasn't  no  ladder 
that  we  could  walk  up.  The  ladder  was  up  above  us,  and  we  got 
jammed  in  the  ladder,  the  two  of  us.  I  don't  know  whether  I  got  out 
first  or  this  colored  fellow,  but  when  I  did  get  out  I  tried  to  say  a 
prayer.  I  looked  where  I  was  and  I  saw  the  heavens  and  everything, 
and  I  tried  to  say  a  prayer  or  something,  and  I  fainted  away.  I  felt 
someone  picking  me  up  and  they  throwed  me  overboard. 

Q.  When  you  saw  this  blue  flame  in  the  engine  room,  did  you  feel 
any  shock  to  the  ship1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  she  was  going  like  this  all  the  time  [indicating]. 

Q.  The  ship  was? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  did  that  last? 

A.  It  lasted  until  I  got  up  to  the  top  of  the  ladder.  Then  I  was  in 
the  water. 

Q.  You  only  felt  one  continuous  shaking? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  hear  any  noise,  any  report? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  heard  a  terrible  report. 

Q.  How  did  it  sound;  like  a  gun? 

A.  No,  sir;   it  wasn't  a  gun.    I   couldn't  hardly  tell  you  how  it 
sounded — like  the  whole  earth  had  opened  up. 
By  the  Court: 

Q.  There  was  bur  one  shock — one  continuous  shock  ? 

A.  I  don't  know.  It  seemed  like  it  was  just  the  roaring  of  the  ship, 
and  then  the  shock  came. 

Q.  You  felt  the  ship  tremble  before  this  explosion? 

A.  Before  this  explosion ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  right  in  the  bottom  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  say  you  were  lying  on  your  hammock? 

A.  On  the  mattress,  on  the  after  magazine  on  the  port  side,  right  in 
the  engineers'  storeroom.  As  you  come  out  of  the  door  and  right  down 
about  8  or  9  feet,  I  think,  there  are  these  magazine  hatches.  I  had 
my  mattress  there.  Frank  Gardiner,  coal  passer,  he  was  lying  this 
way,  just  between  the  wheels,  with  his  mattress. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  tnat  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Edward  Mattson,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by'tne  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 
A.  My  name  is  Edward  Mattson;  ordinary  seaman;  attached  to  the 
U.  S.  S.  Maine. 


190  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  You  were  on  anchor  watch  at  the  time  the  Maine  was  destroyed? 

A.  We  were  standing  quarter  watches,  and  I  had  the  messenger 
watch. 

Q.  You  were  wide  awake  at  the  time  it  happened,  were  you? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  and  another  fellow  was  walking  up  in  the  starboard 
gangway. 

Q.  Will  you  tell  the  court  exactly  where  you  were  when  you  felt  the 
first  shock? 

A.  I  was  right  abreast  of  the  starboard  crane. 

Q.  In  the  starboard  gangway  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Facing  which  way? 

A.  Facing  forward. 

Q.  Then  state  exactly  what  you  felt,  and  heard,  and  saw. 

A.  It  was  just  the  same  as  if  I  seen  lots  of  smoke,  and  I  went  right 
up  in  the  air.  I  don't  know  where  I  went  to.  After  that  I  didn't 
remember  until  I  was  lying  aft  on  the  quarter-deck. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  quarter-deck? 

A.  I  was  lying  right  by  the  smokestack,  and  when  I  come  to  my 
senses  I  slid  down  on  the  quarter-deck. 

Q.  When  the  ship  shook  were  you  knocked  off  your  feet  immediately? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  At  the  very  first  shock  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  fire  flying  up  in  the  air? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  didn't  see  anything  else  but  smoke. 

Q.  You  only  felt  one  shock  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  that  landed  you  aft  on  the  quarter-deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Are  you  sure  you  went  up  in  the  air? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  didn't  strike  the  water.     I  must  have  gone  in  the  air. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  say  you  felt  but  one  shock  ? 

A.  One  shock;  that  is  all,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  walking  up  and  down  the  gangway? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  facing  downward  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  you  were  thrown  backward,  were  you? 

A.  Backward  on  the  quarter  deck. 

Q.  How  did  you  fall? 

A.  I  suppose  I  fell  on  my  shoulder,  for  I  felt  kind  of  sore  there  [indi- 
cating left  shoulder]. 

Q.  Did  you  say  you  were  alongside  of  the  smokestack? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  by  the  smokestack,  just  where  the  third  cutter  was 
standing. 

Q.  You  said  you  were  by  the  crane,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes;  abreast  of  the  starboard  crane. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded,  or  pronounce  it  correct.    The  request  was 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE.  191 

granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly ;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Mess  Attendant  John  H.  Turpin,  TJ.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  wit- 
ness before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judoe-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  your  rate,  and  the  ship  to  which  you  are 
attached. 

A.  John  Henry  Turpin,  mess  attendant,  attached  to  the  TJ.  S.  S. 
Maine. 

Q.  Where  were  you  when  the  first  indication  of  any  trouble  occurred 
on  the  night  the  Maine  was  destroyed  ? 

A.  Down  below  in  the  wardroom  pantry. 

Q.  In  the  wardroom  pantry? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Sitting  down  or  standing  up  ? 

A.  Sitting  down. 

Q.  Facing  which  way? 

A.  Facing  the  door  as  you  come  out  of  the  pantry. 

Q.  Facing  the  inboard  door? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  pantry  is  on  the  starboard  side,  is  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  facing  inboard? 

A.  The  pantry  is  situated  like  this  [indicating].  As  you  come  in 
from  the  wardroom,  you  come  in  so  [indicating].  I  was  facing  the  door 
as  you  come  out. 

Q.  Facing  the  inboard  door? 

A.  The  inboard  door. 

Q.  Not  the  door  leading  into  the  wardroom? 

A.  No,  sir;  not  the  door  leading  into  the  wardroom. 

Q.  The  door  leading  into  the  passage  amidships? 

A.  The  door  leading  into  the  passage. 

Q.  How  far  were  you  out  into  the  pantry;  how  far  away  from  the 
door? 

A.  Eight  by  the  ice  box. 

Q.  Tell  us  how  far  that  is — about  halfway  ? 

A.  About  halfway. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt  and  heard  and  saw. 

A.  I  just  felt  the  ship  heave,  and  it  seemed  to  lift,  like  that  [indica- 
ting].   I  just  felt  the  ship  heave  and  lift. 

Q.  Lift  which  way? 

A.  She  lifted  up  and  kind  of  listed  to  port. 

Q.  What  made  her  do  that? 

A.  It  was  a  jarring  explosion — -just  one  solid  explosion,  and  the  ship 
heaved  and  lifted  like  that,  and  then  all  was  dark.  I  met  Mr.  Jenkins 
in  the  mess  room,  and  by  that  time  the  water  was  up  to  my  waist,  and 
the  water  was  running  aft.  It  was  all  dark  in  there,  and  he  hollered  to 
me,  and  he  says,  "Which  way?"  I  don't  know  what  he  meant  by 
that.  I  says,  "  I  don't  know  which  way."  He  hollered  again, il  Which 
way?"  I  says,  "I don't  know,  sir,  which  way."  And  he  hollered  the 
last  time;  he  says,  "  Which  way?"  I  says,  "  I  don't  know,  sir."  Then 
I  was  groping  my  way,  and  the  water  was  up  to  my  breast.  Mr.  Jen- 
kins started  forward,  and  then  the  whole  compartment  lit  right  up. 
That  whole  compartment  where  the  torpedoes  were  lit  right  up,  and 


192     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

I  seen  Mr.  Jenkins  then  throw  up  both  hands  and  fall,  right  by  the 
steerage  pantry.  Then  I  groped  my  way  aft,  and  got  to  the  captain's 
ladder — the  ladder  coming  out  of  the  wardroom — just  as  you  come  out 
of  the  wardroom  to  go  up  in  the  cabin.  When  I  got  there  the  ladder 
was  carried  away,  aud  somehow  or  other  the  manrope  kept  fast  upon 
deck,  but  the  ladder  got  adrift  from  it  down  below  in  the  water. 

By  that  time  the  water  was  right  up  even  with  my  chin.  Then  I 
commenced  to  get  scared,  and  in  fooling  around  it  happened  that  a  rope 
touched  my  arm,  and  I  commenced  to  climb  overhand  and  got  on  deck. 
When  I  got  outside  the  passageway  in  the  cabin  on  the  starboard  side, 
I  climbed  up  on  some — I  don't  know  what  it  was  I  climbed  up  on. 
Anyhow,  I  got  up  on  the  poop,  and  as  soon  as  I  got  up  on  the  poop  Mr. 
Holman  gave  the  order  to  me.  He  says,  "Go  down  below  and  get 
some  cutlasses."  I  says,  "  Aye,  aye,  sir."  I  went  down  in  the  after 
gunroom,  and  the  water  was  coming  in  at  such  a  rush  I  had  to  come 
up  again.  So  I  came  up  again  and  got  on  the  after  search-light  rail, 
and  I  dove  overboard.  When  I  dove  overboard  I  swam  a  little  ways, 
and  John  Herbert,  an  ordinary  seaman,  was  right  up  behind  me.  He 
grabbed  hold  of  my  ankle.  I  says,  "Let  go,  please;  you  will  drown 
the  two  of  us."  He  wouldn't  let  go.  He  kept  climbing  on  me;  so  I 
hit  him.  By  that  time  he  relinquished  his  hold,  and  he  was  picked  up 
afterwards.  So  I  swam  out,  and  the  Spanish  boat  passed  me,  and  I 
went  under  the  water  again.  I  was  afraid  there  was  some  danger,  so 
I  went  under  water  again,  and  when  I  rose  again  the  barge  passed,  and 
I  got  inside. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time;  right  astern  of  the  ship? 
A.  Bight  astern  of  the  ship ;  yes,  sir.    That  is  my  experience  about  it. 

By  the  Judge-advocate  : 
Q.  You  felt  only  one  shock  f 
A.  I  felt  only  one  shock. 
Q.  Only  one  lift  of  the  ship  ? 
A.  Only  one  lift  of  the  ship. 
Q.  She  lifted  first  and  then  went  down  to  port? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  kind  of  noises  did  you  hear? 
A.  It  sounded  like  distant  thunder— just  a  rumbling. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Were  you  asleep  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  not  asleep.  I  had  just  as  good  sense  about  me 
and  was  as  wide  awake  as  1  am  now. 

Q.  How  do  you  know  you  were  not  asleep  ? 

A.  I  know  I  was  not  asleep  because  I  was  standing  there  talking. 

Q.  I  thought  you  said  you  were  sitting  down  ? 

A.  I  was  sitting  down.  I  was  talking  to  a  couple  of  the  boys  in 
there — Harris  and  Robert  White. 

Q.  What  became  of  them? 

A.  Harris — how  he  got  on  deck,  I  don't  remember. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the 
witness  be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  j  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  fur- 
nished with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked 
to  withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  oppor- 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  193 

tunity  to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to 
discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Martin  Larsen,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before 
the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  State  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are  attached. 

A.  Martin  Larsen,  captain  of  the  hold,  seaman;  attached  to  the 
TJ.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  When  did  you  leave  the  Maine  ? 

A.  The  21st  of  January. 

Q.  How  long  had  you  been  captain  of  the  hold  ? 

A.  Fifteen  months,  sir. 

Q.  What  were  your  duties  at  night  in  securing  the  hold1? 

A.  Closing  all  the  hatches,  and  seeing  that  everything  was  secure 
and  all  lights  out. 

Q.  You  always  saw  that  securely  done  before  reporting  at  8  o'clock? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Who  relieved  you  when  you  left  the  ship  ? 

A.  Neilson. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  man  is  Neilson  ? 

A.  He  is  a  very  good  man. 

Q.  A  reliable  man? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  explain  all  of  your  duties  to  him? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  didn't  have  time  to.  I  was  sick  at  the  time,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  in  a  hurry  to  get  me  off  the  ship. 

Q.  He  is  a  very  good  man  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Looking  after  everything  is  always  done  before  reporting? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Neilson  was  killed? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  not  on  board  at  the  time  of  the  explosion? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  what  places  you  closed  at  night  before  making  your 
8  p.  m.  report. 

A.  In  port  we  closed  the  hatches  leading  down  from  the  berth  deck — 
leading  down  through  A33. 

Q.  And  at  sea? 

A.  At  sea  every  hatch  was  closed. 

The  judge- advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  witness 
be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  amend 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  3.35  p.  m.)  adjourned  until  to-morrow  morning, 
March  2,  1898,  at  11  o'clock. 
S.  Doc.  207 13 


194     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 


ninth  day. 

United  States  Court-House, 
Key  West,  Fla.,  10  a.m.,  Wednesday,  March  2,  1898. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday,  the  first  instant. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographers. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday,  the  eighth  day  of  the 
inquiry,  was  read  and  approved. 

Passed  Assistant  Engineer  Bowers  here  appeared  before  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mr.  Bowers,  have  you  read  over  the  record 
of  your  testimony  given  yesterday1? 

Mr.  Bowers.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Mr.  Bowers.  I  should  like  to  make  some  few  corrections. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Please  name  them. 

Mr.  Bowers.  On  page  330,  in  the  second  line  from  the  bottom,  I 
should  like  to  leave  out  the  words  "the  other  tank,"  and  say  "the  star- 
board bunker." 

On  page  332,  the  fourth  line  from  the  top,  "When  I  went  off  watch 
we  were  using  what  we  used,  No.  4  bunker,"  should  be,  "When  I  went 
oft"  watch  we  were  using  No.  4  bunker." 

The  Judge- Advocate.  You  wish  to  leave  out,  "what  we  used"? 

Mr.  Bowers.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

Mr.  Bowers.  Yes,  sir. 

Assistant  Engineer  Morris  appeared  before  the  court: 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  given  by 
you  yesterday  as  recorded? 

Mr.  Morris.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Mr.  Morris.  No,  sir;  I  have  one  change  to  make. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  State  what  it  is. 

Mr.  Morris.  On  page  336,  in  the  twelfth  line,  the  answer  should  be: 
"I  looked  into  B4."  The  record  from  there  down  to  the  tenth  line 
from  the  bottom  of  the  page  should  be  struck  out. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  1  can  not  strike  out  the  record.  I  will  have 
to  repeat  the  questions  to  you  as  I  put  them,  and  you  can  answer  them 
any  way  you  like.     I  will  repeat  them: 

"By  the  Judge-Advocate: 

"Q.  If  there  had  been  any  combustion  going  on  in  A16,  would  you 
have  noticed  it  when  you  went  into  B6"? 

"A.  1  did  not  go  into  BO." 

Q.  You  want  to  strike  out  "I  did  not  go  into  B6"? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

"Q.  1  am  speaking  of  A10,  not  A15,  the  port  bunker.  Which 
bunker  did  you  go  into  at  7.45?" 

A.  There  is  a  misunderstanding  there.     I  was  in  B3,  B5,  and  A15. 

Q.  Which  port  bunker  did  you  go  into  at  7.45? 

A.  I  looked  into  B4. 

Q.  Your  previous  answer  read:  "I  looked  inside ;  yes,  sir,  into  B 4. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     195 

There  was  nothing  unusual  there.  I  simply  had  the  door  closed  down, 
as  it  was  night  inspection.    I  did  not  enter  B6."    Is  that  correct? 

A.  That  is  correct. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Then  your  testimony  as  amended  is  correct? 

Mr.  Morris.  Yes,  sir. 

The  judge-advocate  asked  and  received  permission  to  ask  some  addi- 
tional questions  of  Lieutenant  Bowers. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  You  were  on  watch  during  the  day  of  February  15? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  boilers  were  in  use  ? 

A.  Boilers  Gr  and  H. 

Q.  Those  were  the  two  after  boilers? 

A.  The  two  after  boilers. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  these  boilers? 

A.  I  looked  at  the  tires  and  noted  the  water  in  the  glass.  There  was 
three-quarters  of  a  column  of  water.  The  boilers  were  in  every  way  in 
a  normal  condition. 

Q.  At  what  time  did  you  make  this  inspection  last? 

A.  7.45. 

Q.  Was  there  a  careful  watch  on  over  these  boilers? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Good  men? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  They  were  all  at  their  stations  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  They  all  went  to  their  stations  at  8  o'clock,  the  relief  watch? 

A.  Half  the  relief  was  down  there  at  the  time.  The  water  tender  was 
down  there  and  one  of  the  firemen. 

Q.  At  what  time? 

A.  At  7.45,  or  when  I  came  out.  At  about  five  minutes  to  8  I  left 
the  compartment. 

Q.  I  am  speaking  of  the  first  watch  that  night.  You  have  every 
reason  to  believe  the  watch  was  carefully  set  at  8  o'clock,  and  that  they 
did  their  duty? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  They  were  good  men  in  that  watch? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  water  tender  was  the  most  reliable  water  tender  in 
the  ship. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Crenshaw  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  You  have  read  over  your  testimony  of  yes- 
terday as  recorded  ? 

Mr.  Crenshaw.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct? 

Mr.  Crenshaw.  No,  sir;  there  is  one  mistake. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Please  state  what  correction  you  wish  to 
make. 


196     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Mr.  Crenshaw.  At  the  end  of  line  23,  page  341,  strike  out  the  period, 
so  that  it  will  read :  "  It  seemed  to  ine  that  through  the  door  that  leads 
into  the  compartment  just  forward  of  that  there  was  a  rushing  noise 
of  some  kind." 

The  Judge-Advoca.te.  Is  your  testimony  as  amended  correct? 

Mr.  Crenshaw.  It  is. 

The  witness  then  retired  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Private  McKay,  IT.  S.  Marine  Corps,  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Private  McKay,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Private  McKay.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

Private  McKay.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Apprentice  Ham  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Apprentice  Ham,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Apprentice  Ham.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Apprentice  Ham.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Apprentice  Dressler  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Apprentice  Dressier,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Apprentice  Dressler.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Apprentice  Dressler.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Sergeant  Mehan  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Sergeant  Mehan,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday  ? 

Sergeant  Mehan.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Sergeant  Mehan.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Corporal  Thompson  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Corporal  Thompson,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Corporal  Thompson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Corporal  Thompson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTL^    SHIP    MAINE.  197 

Master-at-Arms  Load  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Master-at-Arins  Load,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Master-at-Arms  Load.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Master-at-Arms  Load.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Peter  Larsen  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Seaman  Peter  Larsen,  yon  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday. 

Seaman  Peter  Larsen.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Seaman  Peter  Larsen.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Moliniere  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Seaman  Moliniere,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday. 

Seaman  Moliniere.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Seaman  Moliniere.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Boatswain's  Mate  Bergman  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Boatswain's  Mate  Bergman,  you  have  had 
read  to  you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Boatswain's  Mate  Bergman.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Boatswain's  Mate  Bergman.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Landsman  Fox  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Landsman  Fox,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday  ? 

Landsman  Fox.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Landsman  Fox.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Landsman  Lanahan  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Landsman  Lanahan,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Landsman  Lanahan.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Landsman  Lanahan.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


198     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Coal  Passer  Melville  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Coal  Passer  Melville,  you  have  had  read  to 
you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Coal  Tasser  Melville.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded"? 

Coal  Passer  Melville.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Coxswain  Wilber  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Coxswain  Wilber,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Coxswain  Wilber.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  f 

Coxswain  Wilber.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Eau  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Seaman  Rau,  you  have  had  read  to  you  the 
testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday1? 

Seaman  Rau.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Seaman  Rau.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Fireman  Gartrell  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Fireman  Gartrell,  you  have  had  read  tc  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 
Fireman  Gartrell.  Yes,  sir. 
The  Judge-Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 
Fireman  Gartrell.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Seaman  Mattson  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Seaman  Mattson,  you  have  had  read  to  you 
the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 
Seaman  Mattson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 
Seaman  Mattson.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Mess  Attendant  Turpin  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Mess  Attendant  Turpin,  you  have  had  read 
to  you  the  testimony  which  you  gave  yesterday? 

Mess  Attendant  Turpin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

Mess  Attendant  Turpin.  Yes,  sir. 

The  witness  then  retired,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  199 

Seaman  Harry  S.  McCann,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness 
before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  your  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  Harry  S.  McCann;  seaman;  serving  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  in 
Havana? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  were  you  in  at  the  moment  it  commenced? 

A.  I  was  in  the  after  part  of  the  ship,  on  the  quarter  deck,  right 
abaft  the  middle  superstructure. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  superstructure  were  you  nearest  to? 

A.  I  was  nearest  to  the  ladder  leading  up  to  the  superstructure. 

Q.  The  one  that  has  the  rail  underneath! 

A.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  was  within  5  feet  of  the  ladder. 

Q.  Which  way  were  you  facing"? 

A.  Outboard.  My  head  was  facing  the  superstructure.  My  feet 
was  aft — lying  down. 

Q.  You  were  lying  down? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  asleep? 

A.  I  was  neither  awake  nor  asleep.    I  was  in  a  sort  of  doze. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  what  you  felt,  saw,  and  heard. 

A.  I  felt  ajar  and  I  saw  a  flash  of  light — a  red  fire  and  an  explosion. 
That  is  all,  sir. 

Q.  What  kind  of  ajar  was  it  you  felt? 

A.  I  don't  know — like  a  lifting. 

Q.  Did  the  ship  tremble? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  soon  did  the  explosion  come  in  regard  to  the  jar? 

A.  I  should  say  about  au  interval  of  a  second  or  so. 

Q.  Did  that  jar  the  ship — did  the  explosion  jar  the  ship  much? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  WThat  became  of  you? 

A.  I  remained  where  I  was.  I  wasn't  thrown.  I  just  stayed  right 
there. 

Q.  Were  you  knocked  senseless  ? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  made  you  stay  there? 

A.  I  waited  there  until  the  debris  and  stuff  stopped  dropping,  and  I 
came  from  underneath  the  awning  and  went  to  the  starboard  rail,  right 
there  at  the  starboard  gangway;  then  1  jumped  overboard  and  got 
under  the  gig. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Was  the  first  shock  that  you  felt  accompanied  by  any  sound;  was 
there  any  report? 

A.  No;  not  the  jar.  There  was  no  report  to  the  jar,  sir.  I  got  in  a 
sitting  position;  then  came  the  flash  and  the  report. 

Q.  Then  there  was  but  one  report,  was  there? 

A.  That  is  all  I  remember  hearing;  there  might  have  been  more. 

Q.  That  is  what  we  want  to  know. 

A.  I  couldn't  swear  there  was  any  more,  sir. 

Q.  That  is  what  we  want.  You  heard  only  one  report,  but  you  felt 
the  jar  before  the  report  came? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


200  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony- 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Landsman  Kane,  IT.  S.  Navy,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the  court, 
and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rate,  and  to  what  ship  you  are 
attached. 

A.  Joseph  H.  Kane;  landsman;  U.  S.  S.  Maine. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  her  destruction  in 
Havana? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  the  court  exactly  where  you  were  at  the  beginning  of  the 
trouble. 

A.  I  was  in  the  after  part  of  the  superstructure,  on  the  starboard 
side. 

Q.  Which  superstructure;  the  middle  superstructure? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  right  over  the  armory? 

A.  Eight  forward  of  the  armory;  as  far  aft  as  I  could  be  on  that  side. 

Q.  Inside? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  You  were  inside  the  superstructure? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  looking  out  to  port,  where  the  ice  chest  is.  I  was  look- 
ing out  to  port  on  the  starboard  side,  and  I  seen  a  flash,  followed  by  an 
explosion.  I  didn't  see  the  fire  itself,  but  I  seen  the  reflection,  as  from 
afire,  a  light.  I  was  thrown  below  decks  somewhere;  I  don't  know 
where.  I  guess  it  must  have  been  below  decks.  When  I  emerged  I 
was  on  the  port  side,  under  the  port  craoe.  I  came  out  on  the  main 
deck.     It  must  have  been  below  decks,  and  I  came  through  a  manhole. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  You  stood  looking  out  of  this  air  port  [indicating]? 

A.  I  was  standing  abaft  the  6-iuch  gun  support,  and  I  saw  a  flash  of 
light  in  the  starboard  gangway. 

Q.  Were  you  under  water  during  that  time? 

A.  When  I  first  went  down  I  was  pinned  down.  It  must  have  been 
wood,  and  the  water  came  and  lifted  the  weight  off  my  body,  and  I  was 
able  to  get  up.     By  that  time  the  water  was  up  to  my  waist. 

Q.  It  is  impossible  to  explain  how  you  got  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  didn't  walk  a  step.    Load  was  with  me  all  the  time. 

Q.  Did  you  crawl  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  crawled  up  through  this  manhole? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Or  bunker  plate,  whatever  it  was? 

A.  It  was  a  natural  hole.  There  was  nothing  broken  in  there,  because 
the  iron  rim  on  there  was  perfectly  smooth.  I  think  it  was  a  coal  chute, 
or  something  of  that  sort. 

By  the  Judge  Advocate  : 
Q.  What  was  the  first  thing  you  felt;  the  very  first  thing? 
A.  The  first  thing  1  felt  was  the  shock,  and  1  was  thrown  very  quick. 


DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     201 

Q.  Did  you  hear  a  noise  with  it1? 

A.  Yes;  I  heard  a  noise. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  noise? 

A.  Like  the  report  of  a  gun,  very  close. 

Q.  What  did  you  hear  next? 

A.  Nothing  but  a  roar  right  along  until  I  got  out. 

Q.  You  mean,  when  you  first  heard  the  noise  begin,  the  roar  came 
immediately;  or  was  there  an  interval? 

A.  It  sounded  like  the  gun  was  fired,  and  you  heard  the  roar  for  a 
good  while  afterwards;  for  two  or  three  seconds. 

Q.  Interval? 

A.  No;  following. 

Q.  The  roar  lasted  two  or  three  seconds? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  you  found  yourself  below  decks? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  crawled  out  on  the  port  side  of  the  mam  deck  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court. 

Q.  What  is  the  height  between  the  main  and  berth  decks;  could  you 
reach  up  ? 

A.  It  is  about  10  feet. 

Q.  How  do  you  suppose  you  got  hold  of  that  opening  to  get  up? 

A.  As  I  say,  there  was  water  there,  and  debris,  ditty-boxes,  and  all 
such  stuff,  piled  up.  Then  there  was  some  kind  of  a  tank  there — some 
kind  of  an  iron  or  copper,  or  some  kind  of  a  metal  tank  there — that 
broke.  I  could  see  that.  That  helped  me  up.  I  got  up  on  it,  and  I 
had  a  long  stick,  probably  three  or  four  feet  long.  I  stood  it  upright, 
and  put  it  straignt  on  the  plate,  and  I  hauled  myself  up.  I  got  my 
elbows  on  it,  and  crawled  up  through  it.  The  water  raised  a  good  deal. 
It  was  up  to  my  waist.  There  was  debris  of  every  kind  and  wreckage 
lying  around  there. 

Q.  What  happened  to  you  after  that? 

A.  After  that  I  crawled  from  the  main  deck  up  on  to  the  hammock 
nettings  and  into  the  whaleboat.  The  painter  of  the  boat  was  thrown 
up  and  made  fast.    All  the  men  that  was  there  with  me  got  in  the  boat. 

Q.  When  were  you  hurt? 

A.  Where  was  I  hurt? 

Q.  When  or  where? 

A.  The  wreckage  was  falling  on  me,  and  I  hurt  myself  trying  to  lift 
the  wreckage  off.  Whatever  was  on  me,  it  must  have  been  wood, 
because  when  the  water  came  it  lifted  off  itself. 

Q.  You  broke  your  arm  then,  did  you? 

A.  My  shoulder.    I  dislocated  it.     My  breast  is  hurt,  too. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  a'sk  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Commander  James  M.  Forsyth,  U.  S.  Navy,  appeared  before  the 
court  as  a  witness,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  rank,  and  to  what  ship  duty  you  are 
at  present  assigned. 


202  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  James  M.  Forsyth;  commander,  U.  S.  Navy;  commandant  of  the 
Key  West  Naval  Station. 

Q.  Did  you  receive  any  orders  recently  in  regard  to  examining  the 
coal  pile  at  Key  West,  which  is  the  property  of  the  Government? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  Please  state  what  orders  you  received. 

A.  On  the  17th  of  February  I  received  a  telegram  from  the  Chief  of 
the  Bureau  of  Equipment  to  "examine  anthracite  coal  pile  thoroughly 
for  infernals.     Signed,  Bradford." 

Q.  What  steps  did  you  take  to  carry  out  this  order? 

A.  I  appointed  three  of  the  employees  as  inspectors,  and  hired  a 
gang  of  shovelers  to  turn  the  coal  over  with  shovels — to  shift  it  with 
shovels. 

Q.  Whom  did  you  put  in  charge  of  the  whole  work  ? 

A.  Charles  Goodwin,  machinist. 

Q.  A  reliable  man  ? 

A.  I  consider  him  a  very  reliable  man. 

Q.  Has  the  work  been  completed? 

A.  The  work  was  completed  in  about  three  days. 

Q.  How  much  coal  was  in  the  pile,  about? 

A.  About  one  thousand  tons. 

Q.  When  did  the  Maine  coal  here  recently — since  her  coming  down 
from  the  north? 

A.  Twice. 

Q.  What  coal  did  she  receive,  and  how  much  each  time;  the  kind  of 
coal,  I  mean? 

A.  She  received  anthracite  coal,  280  tons  at  the  first  coaling,  and  I 
think  270  tons  at  the  second.    I  have  a  memorandum  of  that. 

Q.  Eefer  to  that  paper. 

A.  This  is  taken  from  the  log  of  the  station;  280  tons  at  the  first, 
and  271  tons  at  the  last  coaling. 

Q.  Can  you  give  the  dates  of  the  coalings? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  first  was  December  20  to  22,  1897,  and  the  second 
January  18  and  19,  1898. 

Q.  Did  she  receive  the  coal  from  the  pile  which  you  have  examined? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  became  of  the  coal  that  was  in  that  pile  at  that  time? 

A.  The  coal  that  she  received  was  mostly  Morea  coal  from  the  Morea 
coal  mine;  anthracite  Morea  coal. 

Q.  That  has  all  been  given  to  ships? 

A.  It  has  all  been  given  to  ships.  There  may  be  a  few  tons  of  it  left 
outside,  on  the  eastern  end,  but  I  am  not  sure,  because  the  two  coals 
were  mixed ;  but  her  main  body  of  coal  that  she  received  was  Morea 
coal.  I  would  further  say  that  she  may  have  received  some  red-ash  coal 
that  was  sent  down  later  from  the  Natalie.  There  may  have  been  some 
carloads  of  the  Natalie  coal;  but  the  main  body  of  her  coal  was  Morea. 

Q.  How  did  the  coal  arrive  here  that  she  received? 

A.  In  schooners. 

Q.  Alongside  the  wharf? 

A.  Alongside  the  wharf. 

Q.  It  was  taken  up  in  the  regular  method  to  the  storehouse? 

A.  Taken  up  in  the  regular  method  to  the  storehouse,  and  handled  in 
the  regular  way. 

Q.  How  long  had  that  coal  been  here  which  the  Maine  received? 

A.  It  was  received  in  January,  1897. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     203 

Q.  What  report  did  Mr.  Goodwin  make  to  you  after  his  inspection  ? 

A.  He  reported  that  there  had  been  nothing  unusual  discovered, 
lean  also  say  that  I  visited  the  work  at  intervals  myself,  and  also  had 
Paymaster  Jewett  visit  the  work  at  intervals  while  it  was  going  on,  to 
see  that  it  was  carried  on  so  that  the  inspector  could  see  every  shovel- 
ful of  coal  that  was  moved;  and  they  said  that  all  of  it  was  examined 
lump  by  lump. 

Q.  The  coal  was  taken  to  the  Maine  in  the  usual  method  pursued  in 
the  coaling  of  ships'? 

A.  No,  sir;  rather  unusual.  It  was  coaled  by  lighter.  Ships  gen- 
erally come  alongside  the  wharf  and  coal,  but  the  Maine's  draft  was 
excessive.  The  draft  was  too  great.  The  captain  did  not  wish  to 
bring  her  alongside  the  wharf;  so  it  was  put  on  lighters.  So  the  coal 
was  really  handled  twice  more  than  it  would  have  been  if  it  had  been 
coaled  in  the  usual  way. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Machinist  Charles  Goodwin  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name,  your  business,  at  present,  and  your 
residence. 

A.  Charles  Goodwin ;  foreman  of  the  Government  machine  shop  in 
Key  West. 

Q.  You  reside  in  Key  West  ? 

A.  I  reside  in  Key  West.     I  reside  in  the  shop. 

Q.  Did  you,  about  the  middle  of  February,  receive  an  order  from  the 
commandant  of  this  station  to  make  an  inspection  of  the  coal  pile  for 
internals'? 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  when  you  received  the  order? 

A.  I  received  it  on  last  Saturday,  a  week  ago. 

Q.  Did  you  carry  out  the  order? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  In  what  way"? 

A.  I  had  all  the  pile  of  coal  turned  directly  over,  so  that  1  could  see 
through  every  particle.  I  had  two  assistants  with  me,  but  I  was  there 
all  the  time  myself.  Not  a  particle  of  coal  was  left  unturned  over — of  the 
anthracite  coal,  not  the  bituminous  coal.  There  was  bituminous  coal 
there,  too.  Of  the  anthracite  coal  there  was  not  a  particle  that  was 
not  turned  thoroughly  over,  so  that  I  could  see  through  the  whole 
of  it. 

Q.  Was  anything  found  wrong  by  anybody  during  this  work1? 

A.  Nothing  at  all. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  did  you  expect  to  find  1 

A.  I  thought  I  might  find  some  unforeseen  bombs  or  something  like 
that.  That  is  what  I  expected.  I  found  one  piece  of  coal  with  a  hole 
drilled  through  it,  but  that  was  nothing  more  than  where  they  drilled 
to  blast  it.    I  was  careful,  of  course,  to  see.    I  could  tell  pretty  near 


204     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

the  difference  between  the  coal  and  any  substance  of  iron  or  anything 
that  way. 

Q.  You  could  have  seen  a  bomb  or  a  piece  of  pipe  or  anything  of 
that  sort"? 

A.  Anything  that  way.  I  found  one  old  tin  can  with  some  white 
lead  in  it.     That  might  have  dropped  from  the  ship. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  I  would  like  to  inform  the  court  that  I  have 
no  more  testimony  to  offer  from  any  of  the  survivors  of  the  Maine  at 
Key  West.  All  who  can  give  any  testimony  in  the  matter,  as  far  as  I 
can  learn,  have  been  before  the  court.  There  is  only  left  the  testimony 
of  the  survivors  in  a  body,  which  the  court  desires  to  take. 

At  the  request  of  the  judge-advocate,  the  court  was  then  cleared  for 
deliberation.     The  stenographer  withdrew. 

The  doors  were  then  opened  and  the  stenographer  entered. 

The  court  then  (at  1.15  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  2  p.  m.,  at  which 
time  it  was  decided  that  the  court  would  proceed  to  the  military  sta- 
tion, Key  West,  at  which  place  the  wounded  were  being  cared  for  and 
the  other  men  were  quartered. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenog- 
rapher. 

'lhe  court  then  proceeded  in  a  body  to  the  army  barracks  at  Key 
West.  On  reaching  there,  all  the  survivors  of  the  Maine,  officers  and 
men,  who  were  able  to  attend,  were  assembled  in  the  presence  of  the 
whole  court.  The  president  of  the  court  administered  the  oath  to  them 
which  is  usually  administered  to  witnesses,  whereupon  the  judge-advo- 
cate asked  the  following  questions: 

The  Judge  Advocate.  Is  there  present  any  officer  or  man  who  has 
any  complaint  to  make  or  any  fault  to  find  with  any  officer  or  man 
belonging  to  the  Maine  on  the  night  of  the  destruction  of  that  ship,  at 
Havana,  February  15,  of  this  year?  If  so,  let  such  officer  or  such  man 
step  to  the  front. 

No  one  stepping  to  the  front,  each  one  of  you  declares  under  oath 
that  you  have  no  fault  to  find  and  no  complaint  to  make  of  any  officer 
or  man  belonging  to  the  Maine  on  that  night. 

Is  there  any  officer  or  man  here  present  who  has  any  complaint  to 
make  against  or  fault  to  find  with  any  officer  or  man  belonging  to  the 
Maine  as  to  the  care  and  guarding  of  that  ship  in  the  harbor  of  Havana 
previous  to  her  destruction  on  February  15,  1898?  If  any  such  officer 
or  man  has  any  such  complaint  to  make  or  fault  to  find,  let  him  step  to 
the  front. 

No  one  stepping  to  the  front,  each  one  of  you  declares  under  oath 
that  you  have  no  complaint  to  make  against  or  fault  to  find  with  any 
officer  or  man  as  to  the  care  and  guarding  of  the  ship  previous  to  her 
destruction. 

The  court  then  (at  2.35  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  at  — 
o'clock  —  m.,  at  its  usual  place  of  meeting,  the  United  States  court-house, 
Key  West. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  205 

TENTH  DAY. 

TJ.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  10  a.  m.,  Saturday,  March  6,  1898. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  last  adjournment  on  Wednesday,  the 
2d  instant,  at  Key  West,  Fla. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer.  Captain  Sigsbee  and  Lieut.  Commander  Wainwright 
were  also  present,  at  their  own  request. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and 
approved. 

Ensign  Powelson  here  appeared  before  the  court  and  was  warned 
by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still  under  the  oath  he  had 
previously  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Ensign  Powelson,  have  you  any  further  evidence  to  offer  to  this 
court — evidence  that  you  may  have  discovered  since  the  court  left 
Havana? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  the  nature  of  the  evidence  such  as  is  derived  from  your  own 
observation  or  from  the  reports  made  to  you  from  time  to  time  by  the 
divers  ! 

A.  It  is  from  reports  made  to  me  by  the  divers. 

Q.  Did  you  take  notes  at  the  time  such  reports  were  made  to  you  by 
the  divers  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  You  will  please  give  your  evidence  as  far  as  possible,  giving  each 
diver  separately;  also,  in  giving  your  evidence  give  it  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  convening  authority  and  the  authorities  in  Washington  will 
be  able  to  understand  it  without  having  before  them  the  sketches  upon 
which  you  may  point  out  different  objects  in  the  course  of  your  testi- 
mony.   Please  proceed. 

A.  I  will  first  take  up  the  reports  of  Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Olsen,  one 
of  the  divers.  I  will  first  submit  to  the  court  a  rough  sketch  showing 
the  forward  body  of  the  ship,  forward  oi  about  frame  28. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  I  request  that  this  sketch  be  appended  to 
the  record  as  one  of  the  exhibits. 

The  request  was  granted,  and  the  sketch  was  appended  to  the  rec- 
ord, marked  "H." 

The  Witness.  This  is  the  report  Diver  Olsen  made  to  me  at  11.40 
a.  m.  March  1,  1898 : 

He  went  down  the  after  wing  of  the  after  V,  marked  "A"  in  sketch 
submitted,  and  he  counted  9  frames,  counting  the  highest  frame  No.  1. 
This  highest  frame  is  frame  17.  Frames  21  and  22  had  floor  plates 
still  attached.  The  other  frames  had  only  the  angle  irons  next  the 
slrin  left.  The  floor  plates  on  21  and  22  were  bent  forward  from  their 
original  position.  He  found  the  first  longitudinal  at  about  frame  24.  He 
saw  it  for  about  two  frame  spaces.  This  first  longitudinal  was  not 
shown  in  the  sketch,  because  it  is  under  the  inside  plating. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  Will  you  please  put  in  explanations  ? 

A.  He  saw  it  for  about  two  frame  spaces.  The  outer  skin  was  broken 
with  the  rivet  holes  at  the  edge  between  the  first  and  second  longitudi- 
nals, at  frame  24.    This  break  was  at  the  butt  of  the  plate.    Following 


206     DESTKUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

the  second  longitudinal  down,  he  came  to  the  end  where  it  is  broken  off 
and  very  ragged.  He  followed  the  plate  A  in  the  sketch  until  it  turns 
underneath  the  keel  about  10  inches.  There  it  ends  with  ragged  edges 
touching  the  flat  part  of  the  keel.  He  then  came  up  and  went  forward 
of  this  plate  A  of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  went  on  to  the  plate  marked 
B  in  the  sketch.  He  went  down  the  plate  B  and  found  it  extended  10 
frame  spaces.  There,  at  the  end  of  10  frame  spaces,  he  found  the  plat- 
ing ended  with  ragged  edges  about  2  feet  from  the  green  outside  bot- 
tom plating.  Plate  B  is  forward  in  the  sketch,  and  plate  A  aft.  He 
followed  the  longitudinal  down.  The  green  plating  is  underneath  the 
plate  B.  He  went  down,  and  it  slopes  in  the  same  general  direction, 
inclined  about  45  degrees. 

He  could  step  at  the  bottom  of  plating  B  down  onto  the  green  outside 
plating.  He  followed  the  green  plating  down  about  10  feet  and  got 
into  the  mud.  The  green  plating  is  attached  to  the  flat  keel.  The  keel 
seems  to  go  forward  under  the  mud.  He  could  feel  the  keel  sloping 
upward  aft  and  to  starboard  where  he  was  standing  in  the  mud.  On 
the  flat  part  of  the  keel  he  felt  for  the  outside  keel  plating,  but  he  could 
not  find  where  it  lapped,  although  he  felt  in  from  the  keel  about  10 
feet.  He  found  a  plate  with  rivets  along  the  edge  about  10  inches 
from  the  angle  of  the  flat  part  of  the  keel.  He  found  no  raised  and 
sunken  plating.  It  was  smooth  for  about  12  feet  up  at  right  angles  to 
the  flat  part  of  the  keel.  He  then  found  something  which  he  sketched 
for  me,  and  by  the  way  he  described  it  it  was  like  a  small  bilge  keel. 
This  projection  that  he  found  was  about  12  feet  from  the  mud.  He 
then  went  out  clear  of  the  ship  into  the  mud  and  found  some  boxes  of 
canned  goods  and  some  loose  cans  seemingly  unhurt.  Some  of  the 
cans  were  square,  like  beef  cans;  others  were  cylindrical.  He  took  a 
2-foot  rule  with  him  and  measured  the  dimensions  of  the  outside  keel 
plate,  and  he  found  that  the  flat  part  of  the  outside  keel  plate  was 
between  14  and  15  inches  wide,  and  also  found  it  extended  up  the  sides 
from  the  flat  part  on  each  side  a  distance  of  18  inches. 

I  would  like  to  say  that  from  the  studying  of  the  drawings,  after 
Olsen's  report,  and  his  distances,  I  find  that  he  found  the  keel  go  into 
the  mud  at  about  frame  7,  and  above  that  he  found  the  ram  plate 
which  stick  out  from  the  side  of  the  ship  on  each  side  at  the  bows. 

Olsen  went  down  the  next  time  in  the  forenoon  of  March  3.  This 
time  I  gave  him  orders  to  see  if  he  could  find  the  top  part  of  the 
keel — that  is,  the  highest  point  of  the  keel — as  he  had  reported  to  me  it 
had  extended  upward  and  starboard  quite  a  steep  slope.  He  went 
down  on  the  top  part  of  the  plate  marked  "A"  in  the  sketch,  and  fol- 
lowed frame  17  until  he  found  the  break  in  the  keel.  I  had  ordered 
him  to  take  a  2-foot  rule  with  him  in  order  to  get  the  exact  dimensions 
of  the  plates  at  the  point  where  he  might  find  a  break  in  the  keel.  He 
took  the  following  measurements  at  the  break:  First  he  measured  the 
inner  keel  plate,  and  found  that  the  total  width  of  the  plate  was  35 
inches.  He  then  measured  the  outer  keel  plate  and  found  the  total 
width  to  be  about  45  inches.  It  is  so  dark  where  the  divers  work  that 
they  can  not  see  the  numbers  on  the  2-foot  rule,  and  they  have  to  guess 
at  the  distance  of  anything  under  a  foot  by  the  proportion,  so  that 
these  measurements  may  be  in  error  an  inch  or  two. 

He  found  at  the  first  frame  forward  of  the  break  in  the  keel  a  light- 
ening hole  in  the  floor  plate.  He  took  the  measurement  of  this  hole, 
and  found  that  the  major  axis  was  20  inches  and  the  minor  axis  12 
inches.  He  then  found  a  manhole  in  the  inner  skin  just  forward  of  the 
break  in  the  vertical  keel  on  the  port  side.     He  took  measurements  of 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  207 

this  manhole,  and  found  the  major  axis  22  inches  and  the  minor  axis  15 
inches.  He  then  measured  the  spacings  of  the  rivets  on  the  angle 
irons  of  the  vertical  keel,  and  found  them  to  be  3  inches.  He  found 
between  the  outer  and  inner  skins  at  the  point  where  the  break  occurs 
in  the  vertical  keel  a  four-way  pipe.  This  was  on  the  port  side  of  the 
vertical  keel.  One  branch  was  horizontal,  and  extended  starboard  to 
the  vertical  keel  and  ended  there  with  a  blank  flange.  Another  branch 
of  the  pipe  extended  athwartships  to  port.  Another  extended  verti- 
cally up  through  the  inner  bottom,  and  the  fourth  extended  vertically 
downward. 

The  horizontal  branches  were  found  to  measure  4  inches  in  diame- 
ter. The  lower  vertical  branch  measured  3  inches  in  diameter.  The 
vertical  keel  was  broken  at  about  the  point  where  the  pipe  with 
the  blank  flange  pierced  it.  He  measured  the  height  of  the  ver- 
tical keel  and  found  it  to  be  30  inches.  In  this  compartment  he 
found  a  water  alarm  and  sent  it  up  on  a  line.  This  was  just  forward 
of  the  break  in  the  vertical  keel  on  the  port  side,  about  9  inches  at  its 
lowest  point  from  the  outer  skin.  The  angle  irons  along  the  vertical 
keel  he  measured  and  found  to  be  3-inch  flange,  and  the  angle  between 
the  broken  parts  of  the  vertical  keel  he  found  to  be  considerably  more 
than  a  right  angle.  He  found  a  manhole  14  or  15  inches  below  the  break 
in  the  vertical  keel  on  the  port  side,  in  the  inner  skin.  He  also  found 
one  in  a  similar  place  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  vertical  keel.  About 
8  or  10  feet  farther  down  the  keel,  which  at  this  point  runs  down  in  a 
vertical  line,  he  found  on  the  starboard  side  a  manhole.  Near  this 
manhole  he  found  a  blank  flange  and  three  pipe  holes  in  the  inner 
skin.  About  10  or  12  feet  farther  down  than  this  last  manhole  he 
found  two  more  manholes,  symmetrically  placed  on  each  side  of  the 
vertical  keel,  in  the  inner  skin. 

These  two  manholes  were  in  the  part  of  the  keel  which  in  the  sketch 
is  represented  as  turning  and  going  nearly  horizontal  at  the  point 
marked  0.  He  found  that  abaft  this  point  O  the  inner  bottom  was  of 
a  corrugated  form,  having  large  corrugations  bent  in  it.  The  bottom 
plating  on  each  side  of  the  keel  along  in  the  vicinity  of  the  point  O 
slopes  downward  from  the  keel.  Near  the  starboard  manhole  of  the 
last  pair  of  manholes  he  described  there  was  a  pipe  running  down 
through  the  inner  bottom  just  to  port  of  it.  He  could  not  see  whether 
this  pipe  belonged  there  or  was  driven  there.  The  edges  of  the  plate, 
I  would  say,  were  all  ragged.  He  felt  down  through  the  starboard 
manhole  and  found  a  piece  of  pipe  with  an  elbow  in  it.  This  elbow  and 
the  piece  of  pipe  he  referred  to  as  coming  down  through  the«double 
bottom,  looked  as  if  they  had  originally  been  the  same  piece.  On  top 
of  the  inner  skin,  a  little  abaft  these  last  two  manholes  to  which  he 
referred,  he  found  two  3-inch  pipes  running  across  the  ship.  He  could 
not  say  whether  they  were  originally  there  or  not.  Between  these  two 
manholes  and  the  keel  and  forward  of  them  was  a  blank  flange.  These 
two  manholes  were  in  the  level  part  of  the  keel  about  10  feet  abaft 
where  the  vertical  part  comes  down  to  the  horizontal  part.  These  two 
manholes  in  the  inner  skin  were  6  or  7  feet  apart.  Abaft  these  man- 
holes there  is  a  great  deal  of  wreckage,  and  he  could  not  tell  anything 
about  what  it  was. 

The  Court.  This  is  Olsen's  report  all  the  time,  is  it? 

A.  Olsen;  yes,  sir. 

At  about  frame  22,  on  the  starboard  side,  he  found,  8  or  10  feet  from 
the  keel,  30  or  40  6-pounder  shells  detached  from  the  cases,  a  lot  of 
brass  cases,  6-pounder,  seemingly  exploded.    He  found  many  more 


208  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

projectiles  than  cases.  He  found  at  the  same  place  one  6-inch  shell, 
which  he  sent  up.  I  examined  this  shell  and  found  that  it  was  still 
in  its  slings,  with  its  wooden  nose  cap  still  attached,  the  wood  of  which 
was  uninjured  and  unburned.  The  slings  were  unburned  and  uninjured, 
except  one  part  which  had  been  cut.  Just  forward  of  that  place  he 
found  a  lot  of  knapsacks,  rubber  blankets,  haversacks,  and  canteens, 
some  of  which  he  sent  up.  They  were  unburned  and  uninjured.  He 
also  found  a  lot  of  blacksmith's  tools  where  he  found  the  0-inch  shell. 
The  place  for  the  10-inch  magazine  he  found  covered  with  wreckage, 
which  seemed  to  have  been  from  port  to  starboard. 

On  the  forenoon  of  March  4  Olsen  went  down  again.  He  went  down 
until  he  found  the  break  in  the  vertical  keel;  then  he  slid  down  the 
vertical  part  of  the  keel  until  he  came  to  about  frame  24,  as  I  deter- 
mined from  all  the  measurements  and  data  that  he  and  Smith  had  in 
the  meantime  taken  in  reference  to  the  keel.  Then  he  walked  out  to 
starboard.  He  found  a  good  many  0-inch  shell,  and  some  powder  tanks, 
one  of  which  he  sent  up. 

By  the  Court : 

Q,  What  size? 

A.  Six-inch  powder  tank.  I  examined  this  tank,  and  found  it  was 
battered  up  and  opened  up  along  the  seam  for  only  about  a  foot.  It 
had  evidently  not  exploded.  Excelsior  in  good  condition  was  found 
in  it.  The  bag  was  also  sent  up  with  it.  Olsen  then  found  the  outboard 
bulkhead  of  the  10-inch  magazine  bent  outward  and  about  horizontal. 
In  this  bulkhead  was  a  square  box,  with  one  hole  in  it  for  a  deadlight. 
The  box  was  built  in  the  bulkhead  from  the  coal  bunker  side.  This  box 
was  apparently  uninjured,  except  the  glass  light  in  it  was  gone.  The  rim 
holding  the  circular  glass  disk  was  not  injured.  He  took  the  cover  off 
the  box  and  sent  up  the  frail,  light  box,  which  holds  the  incandescent 
magazine  light.  When  this  box  reached  the  top  of  the  water  I  examined 
it  and  found  that  it  was  in  very  good  shape.  The  joinings  at  the  corner 
of  the  box  had  been  shaken  loose,  but  the  box  itself  was  very  slightly 
bent,  and  still  had  two  wires  about  three  feet  in  length  attached  to  it. 
The  small  water-tight  cover  to  the  light  box  was  also  sent  up.  It  was 
very  slightly  bent,  and  its  rubber  gasket  was  not  burnt  and  was  intact. 

On  this  starboard  10-inch  magazine  bulkhead,  to  which  the  light  box 
was  attached  and  which>is  now  bent  down  to  starboard  and  nearly  hor- 
izontal, he  found  a  manhole  plate  near  the  light  box.  This  plate  he  sent 
up.  I  examined  it  and  found  that  it  was  bent  up  a  little  on  one  end. 
The  rim  which  holds  the  hinges,  and  which  is  riveted  to  the  inner  skin, 
was  broken  in  two.  Half  of  it  was  still  attached  to  the  manhole  plate 
by  one  hinge.  This  rim  was  bent  up  on  one  side  and  the  rubber  gasket 
in  the  manhole  plate  was  entirely  gone.  I  found  the  paint  burned  on 
the  under  side. 

Olsen  felt  under  the  light  box  on  the  bulkhead,  to  which  he  referred, 
the  rungs  of  an  iron  ladder,  riveted  to  the  bulkhead.  He  followed 
these  rungs  down  until  he  reached  the  floor  of  the  magazine.  There 
he  found  a  crack  in  the  inner  bottom  about  3  feet  wide.  I  ques- 
tioned him  particularly  about  the  edges,  and  he  told  me  they  were 
ragged  and  bent  neither  in  nor  out.  He  crawled  into  this  double- 
bottom  compartment  and  found  a  10-inch  gas  check  and  two  10-inch 
gas-check  pads,  one  in  perfect  condition,  the  other  jammed.  Neither 
of  them  was  burned.  He  also  found  a  cutlass  scabbard  in  this  double- 
bottom  compartment.  While  in  the  compartment  he  saw  the  floor 
plates  of  a  frame,  and  said  the  floor  plates  had  lightening  holes  in 
them.    The  plate  was  buckled  a  little.     He  then  went  farther  aft  to 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  209 

examine  the  condition  of  the  aft  part  of  the  magazine.  He  found  that 
that  was  covered  with  wreckage,  going  high  up  into  the  air,  so  that  he 
could  not  climb  over  it.  He  found  6-inch  shells  on  top  of  the  10-inch 
tanks;  also  paymaster's  stores  on  top  of  the  tanks.  He  broke  off  a 
piece  of  magazine  grating  and  tongued-and-grooved  woodwork  of  the 
10-inch  magazine,  which  I  secured  as  it  came  to  the  surface.  This 
wood  was  unburned. 

This  finishes  Olsen's  testimony  up  to  this  morning.  He  is  now 
diving. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Does  any  other  diver  testify  by  the  sketch  you  have  submitted1? 

A.  Yes;  Smith's  work  and  Olsen's  work  are  corroborative. 

The  following  is  the  evidence  as  derived  from  information  given  to 
me  by  Diver  Smith : 

On  the  morning  of  February  28  I  sent  Smith  down  on  plate  marked 
A  in  the  sketch. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  On  top  or  inside? 

A.  On  top  the  plate  marked  A  in  the  sketch.  He  followed  the 
second  longitudinal  down  until  he  got  to  frame  19.  Then  he  worked 
himself  down  toward  the  direction  of  the  keel,  and  there  he  found 
the  first  longitudinal  which  is  not  shown  on  the  sketch,  because 
it  is  covered  by  inside  plating.  He  found  the  top  part  of  this  first 
longitudinal  at  frame  19.  He  found  the  bottom  plating  broken,  and 
edges  pushed  in  from  the  green  paint.  This  was  on  the  outside  of  the 
ship.  These  edges  were  pushed  in  about  18  inches  from  the  original 
surface  of  the  bottom  plate.  He  then  felt  along  the  edge  of  the  break 
about  2  feet,  but  could  not  find  the  plating  lower  down,  which  had 
originally  been  attached  to  this  edge.  On  account  of  the  inner  and 
outer  plating  being  jammed  together  he  could  not  reach  further  up  than 
frame  18,  nor  could  he  reach  lower  down  than  frame  20  for  the  same 
reason.  He  then  went  down  inside  of  the  V  formed  by  the  bottom 
plating  at  frame  17  at  a  point  marked  D  in  the  sketch. 

The  bottom  plating  at  frame  17  diverges  for  about  15  feet;  lower 
down  it  converges  and  comes  nearly  together  about  20  feet  down,  at 
that  point  being  only  a  few  inches  apart.  The  after  wing  of  the  V 
marked  "A,"  ends  at  the  point  nearest  the  bottom  plating,  near  the  keel. 
In  the  afternoon  of  February  28, 1  sent  Smith  down  to  look  for  a  circu- 
lar hole  which  Olsen  had  said  he  found  in  the  upper  edge  of  the  plate 
marked  "A"  on  the  sketch.  I  wished  to  locate  this  hole  exactly  in 
order  to  determine  exactly  whether  the  highest  frame  in  the  sketch 
was  frame  17  or  not.  He  counted  the  frame  spaces  along  the  upper 
edge  of  the  plate  marked  "A,"  and  found  that  the  semicircular  hole  with 
the  rivet  holes  around  it  to  which  sea  valve  had  evidently  been 
attached,  was  between  the  sixth  and  seventh  frames,  counting  frame 
18  as  No.  1.  I  referred  to  the  drawing  afterwards  and  found  that  this 
checked  up  exactly,  calling  the  highest  frame  in  the  sketch  No.  17,  as 
has  been  done.  He  found  between  frames  19  and  20,  and  near  the  sec- 
ond longitudinal,  a  dozen  6-pounder  shells  with  the  cartridge  gone. 
He  was  unable  to  get  any  more  data  connected  with  the  break  in  the 
outside  plating  between  the  first  and  second  longitudinals  at  frame  19, 
to  which  he  referred  in  his  morning  report.  The  testimony  in  regard 
to  the  situations  of  various  holes,  and  details  of  construction  have 
checked  up  exactly  on  the  supposition  that  the  highest  frame  sketched 
is  frame  17,  and  with  previous  testimony  given  before  this  court. 
S.  Doc.  207 H 


210     DESTKUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

On  the  morning  of  March  2,  I  sent  Smith  down  to  corroborate  the 
evidence  which  Olsen  had  given  in  regard  to  the  break  in  the  vertical 
keel  at  frame  18.  Smith  took  with  him  a  2-foot  ruler.  He  found  the 
thickness  of  the  vertical  keel  not  quite  an  inch.  He  found  the  four- way 
pipe  which  Olsen  testified  as  having  found,  and  he  found  that  the  small- 
est inside  diameter  of  the  horizontal  branch  of  the  pipe  was  3  inches. 
He  found  that  5  inches  was  the  largest  inside  diameter  of  the  vertical 
branch  of  the  pipe — Olsen  testified  to  having  found  it  4  inches.  He 
measured  the  distance  from  the  vertical  keel  to  a  flange  to  which  the 
port  horizontal  branch  of  the  pipe  is  riveted.  This  he  found  to  be  21 
inches.  He  found  that  the  diameter  of  the  blank  flange  at  the  end  of 
the  pipe  which  pierced  the  vertical  keel  from  port  to  starboard  was  5 
inches.  He  found  the  distance  from  the  break  in  the  vertical  keel  to 
the  next  frame  forward  to  be  36  inches.  He  found  the  distance  between 
the  outer  edges  of  the  horizontal  flanges  of  the  two  angle  irons  on  each 
side  at  the  bottom  of  the  vertical  keel  plating  to  be  7  inches. 

He  measured  the  width  of  the  inner  keel  plate  and  found  it  to  be  37 
inches.  He  found  the  outer  keel  plate  lapped  4  inches  beyond  the 
inner  keel  plate.  He  found  the  large  pipe  in  the  double  bottoms  along- 
side the  vertical  keel  at  the  point  where  the  break  occurs  and  rueas 
ured  it,  and  found  it  to  be  12  inches  in  diameter.  This  pipe  had  a 
flange  on  the  end.  He  measured  the  length  of  the  pipe,  and  found  it 
was  5  feet  between  this  flange  and  where  it  went  through  the  next 
plate.  At  this  point  he  found  two  manholes  in  the  inner  bottom,  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  keel,  just  forward  of  the  piece  of  pipe  to  which  he 
referred. 

Smith  went  down  again  the  afternoon  of  March  2,  and  went  down  to 
the  break  in  the  vertical  keel,  and  followed  the  vertical  point  down  to 
the  point  where  it  bends  up  again  to  the  horizontal.  He  found  the 
after  part  of  the  keel  almost  horizontal — part  marked  "0."  When  he 
was  at  this  point  the  diving  machine  registered  a  depth  of  35  feet. 

Q.  That  is  the  horizontal  part  of  the  keel1? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  The  machine  is  not  accurate  within  5  feet,  I  find.  At 
this  place,  near  the  point  C  in  the  sketch,  he  found  a  10-inch  shell,  a 
bunch  of  knapsacks,  and  a  magazine  swab.  He  reported  that  the  swab 
was  not  burned  and  was  uninjured. 

Smith  took  certain  measurements  of  the  keel  at  the  point  where  it 
bends  to  go  horizontally.  He  finds  that  there  is  a  bend  in  the  keel,  ex- 
tending forward  for  about  3  feet  from  the  lowest  part  of  the  keel,  which 
is  now  vertical ;  it  then  turns  down  and  around  through  about  360 
degrees  and  runs  aft.  He  got  in  the  double  bottoms  at  a  point  a  little 
way  abaft  where  the  vertical  keel  comes  down  vertically,  and  he  found 
that  the  vertical  keel  itself  was  buckled  out  to  starboard.  He  drew 
me  a  sketch  of  it,  showing  it  was  buckled  to  starboard  at  about  the 
point  marked  C. 

On  February  28,  in  the  afternoon,  Smith  went  down  to  examine  the 
forward  part  of  the  keel  as  far  forward  to  the  bow  as  he  could  get.  He 
went  down  at  the  point  D  and  walked  down  on  the  green  plating  until 
he  got  near  the  keel.  He  then  put  his  back  against  the  green  side  of 
the  plate  marked  A  on  the  sketch  and  his  feet  against  the  green  side  of 
the  bottom  plating  under  the  point  marked  D.  He  worked  himself 
along  aft.  He  worked  along  about  8  feet  and  found  the  boitom  to  take 
a  form  of  which  he  made  me  a,  sketch.  This  sketch  is  a  cross  section  of 
the  keel  of  the  ship  at  about  frame  12,  from  the  measurements  he  took. 
He  found  the  flat  part  of  the  keel  to  be  14  inches  wide,  and  found  that 
the  outer  keel  plate  lapped  up  along  the  bottom  plating  on  each  side  a 


DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     211 

distance  of  1  foot  8  inches.  He  took  these  measurements  with  a  2-foot 
rule.  He  then  worked  himself  forward  until  he  came  to  the  edge  of 
plate  A  and  then  went  down  to  the  keel  on  the  bottom  plating  until 
ne  got  into  the  mud.  At  the  point  where  the  flat  keel  goes  into  the 
mud  he  found  a  hole  in  the  mud.  He  made  out  that  the  bottom  of  this 
hole  was  about  6  inches  deep.  He  then  made  me  a  sketch  indicating 
the  form  of  the  hole. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  Six  inches,  you  say? 

A.  No,  sir  5  he  found  the  hole  to  be  about  6  feet  deep  and  about  15 
feet  in  diameter.  In  the  bottom  of  the  hole  he  found  sticking  in  the 
mud  a  sort  of  metal  tank,  which  was  hauled  up  by  a  line  bent  onto  it. 
This  tank  was  a  very  thin  metal,  and  riveted  together  by  spacing  of 
rivets,  which  was  not  water-tight,  and  evidently  came  from  part  of  the 
ventilating  system  of  the  ship.  This  finishes  my  evidence  from  infor- 
mation derived  from  Smith,  the  diver. 

The  court  then  (at  12.15  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  1.30. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present :  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  j  iidge- advocate,  the  stenog- 
rapher, Captain  Sigsbee,  and  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright. 

Ensign  Powelson,  who  was  on  the  stand  before  the  recess,  resumed 
the  stand  and  proceeded  with  his  testimony  as  follows : 

On  the  forenoon  of  March  1  Kundquist,  gunner's  mate,  went  down 
on  the  port  side  of  the  ship  abaft  the  port  crane,  and  he  made  a  report 
to  me  as  follows :  He  said  he  went  down  a  ladder  placed  about  5  feet 
abaft  the  port  crane  against  the  port  superstructure  and  leading  down 
to  the  main  deck.  Then  he  went  over  the  side  at  a  point  about  12  feet 
abaft  the  break  in  the  main  deck.  He  found  still  attached  to  the  side, 
underneath  the  waterways  of  the  main  deck,  a  strip  of  plating  3  or  4 
feet  wide.  This  plating  he  said  was  bent  inboard.  He  lowered  him- 
self over  the  side  until  his  feet  struck  something  about  the  position  of 
the  berth  deck.  He  did  not  notice  any  armor  at  that  point.  He  said 
the  deck  sloped  down  to  starboard  and  aft  in  such  a  manner  that  a  ball 
would  roll  toward  the  starboard  quarter  or  a  little  more  aft.  He  found 
a  hole  in  this  deck,  which  he  supposed  to  be  the  berth  deck. 

The  hole  was  about  6  or  7  feet  from  where  his  feet  first  touched  on 
the  berth  deck.  The  wood  was  all  broken  at  the  edge  of  the  hole.  He 
just  lowered  himself  down  over  the  edge.  He  reached  out  with  his  arm, 
but  didn't  find  the  other  edge  of  the  deck  opposite  the  break.  He  went 
down  10  or  12  feet,  perhaps  a  little  more,  and  then  his  feet  struck  in 
the  coal.  He  reported  that  there  were  tons  of  coal  down  there.  He 
then  moved  to  port  and  found  a  fore-and-aft  bulkhead.  This  bulkhead 
had  rivet  holes  in  it  from  which  the  rivets  had  been  pulled.  He  put 
his  fingers  in  the  rivet  holes,  and  hauled  himself  up  about  6  or  7  feet 
until  he  reached  the  top  of  the  bulkhead.  I  asked  him  how  he  judged 
his  distance,  and  he  said,  he  put  his  hands  up  three  times,  and  the  fourth 
time  he  got  hold  of  the  upper  edge  of  the  bulkhead.  The  upper  edge  was 
ragged,  and  the  break  was  clean,  meaning  that  the  edge  was  approxi- 
mately horizontal. 

He  climbed  over  this  bulkhead,  and  went  outboard.  Across  the  top 
of  this  bulkhead  he  found  a  plank.  This  plank  was  about  a  foot  wide 
and  the  end  edge  was  beveled  off  about  45  degrees.  He  went  down  on 
the  other  side  of  the  bulkhead — outboard  side — and  found  lots  of  small 
compartments  about  3  or  4  feet  apart.  The  upper  part  of  the  compart- 
ment he  was  in  was  large  and  the  bottom  of  it  was  divided  into  small 


212  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

compartments.  The  outboard  side  of  these  compartments  looked 
curved  like  the  ship's  side  in  the  sketch,  which  he  drew  for  me.  This 
sketch  showed  the  portion  of  the  ship's  side  and  fore  and  aft  vertical 
bulkhead.  There  was  a  floor  plate  with  lightening  hole  in  it  which 
went  up  the  lower  angle  between  the  ship's  side  and  the  bulkhead. 

The  plates  with  the  round  lightening  holes  in  them  were  loose,  some 
of  them,  from  the  curved  side  of  the  compartment,  and  were  bent  in 
toward  the  vertical  bulkhead.  He  then  walked  with  the  vertical  bulk- 
head on  his  right  side,  and  walked  forward  over  four  or  five  of  these 
small  compartments.  He  then  struck  his  helmet  against  something 
and  climbed  back  over  the  vertical  bulkhead  to  which  he  had  referred, 
and  got  into  some  10-inch  powder  tanks,  one  of  which  he  sent  up  on  a 
line.  I  examined  this  tank  and  found  that  one  end  of  it  was  still  cir- 
cular in  form.  This  was  the  end  to  which  the  cover  was  attached. 
The  other  end  looked  as  if  it  had  been  struck  on  the  side  and  flattened 
together  at  right  angles  to  its  length.  It  was  very  much  battered.  I 
found  in  a  tear  in  this  tank  a  piece  of  the  tape  sewed  on  the  powder 
bags  to  support  them.  Eundquist  told  me  that  when  he  bent  a  line  on 
the  tank,  it  had  a  bag  in  it.  This  bag  probably  fell  out  on  the  way  up. 
He  then  went  farther  forward  and  got  tangled  up  among  a  lot  of  elec- 
tric wires.  This  was  5  or  6  feet  forward  of  where  he  found  the  10-inch 
powder  tank.  I  asked  him  what  the  water  looked  like  at  this  place, 
for  I  thought  he  had  walked  outside  the  ship  forward  into  the  gap, 
which  is  apparently  all  blown  away.  He  told  me  that  where  he  was 
the  water  looked  pretty  clear,  meaning  there  was  more  light  there  than 
there  had  been  inside  the  ship.  He  then  came  up,  back  through  the 
hole  in  the  berth  deck. 

Eundquist  went  down  again  on  the  afternoon  of  March  1.  I  gave 
him  orders  to  examine  the  side  plating  under  the  waterways  on  the 
port  side,  abaft  the  port  crane,  and  also  to  examine  the  armor  belt, 
and  any  details  of  interest  he  might  And  at  the  point  where  the  ship 
appears  to  be  broken  about  frame  41.  He  went  down  as  before  on  the 
port  side  and  examined  the  strip  of  side  plating  attached  to  the  water- 
ways, and  found  that  the  break  in  the  side  plating  extended  as  far  aft 
as  the  after  boat  cradle,  abaft  the  port  crane.  He  then  lowered  himself 
down  over  the  side  until  he  felt  the  armor.  He  had  his  body  outside  of 
the  ship,  and  his  arms  over  the  armor  plate.  He  said  the  plate  looked 
normal.  He  followed  the  armor  plate  along  until  he  came  to  the  end 
of  it.  I  asked  him  about  how  far,  aud  he  said  it  was  the  length  of  a 
plate  and  a  half.  I  asked  him  how  he  could  distinguish  the  ends  of  the 
plates,  and  he  said  that  at  the  place  where  the  plates  abutted  together, 
the  outer  surfaces  were  not  flush,  that  the  outer  aft  corner  of  the  for- 
ward plate  was  about  4  inches  farther  outboard  than  the  upper  forward 
edge  of  the  after  plate.  He  then  followed  this  seam  down  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  armor  plate  and  found  the  plates  were  flush  at  the  bottom. 
He  then  went  up  the  seam  to  the  upper  edge  of  the  armor  aud  worked 
his  way  forward  until  he  came  to  the  end  of  the  armor  plating. 

This  armor  ended  a  little  forward  of  the  port  crane.  He  then  went 
down  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  armor  plate  and  found  the  edge  about  a 
foot  in  the  mud.  He  said  the  forward  plate  looked  to  be  about  in  its 
original  position.  He  went  out  about  12  feet  from  the  ship's  side,  try- 
ing to  find  any  of  the  plates.  He  found  some  old  pieces  of  tin  that 
appeared  to  belong  to  air  conductors,  and  a  piece  of  wire  which  he  sent 
up.  This  wire  was  lead  covered  and  had  a  junction  box  attached.  He 
found  some  small  pieces  of  coal  and  some  small  pieces  of  plating  about 
the  size  of  his  hand.     He  found  no  large  plates.     He  then  went  back 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  213 

to  the  ship's  side  and  examined  the  backing  of  the  armor.  That  looked 
to  be  pushed  from  out  in,  because  at  the  place  where  the  plate  was 
gone  the  wood  backing,  about  0  or  7  inches  thick,  was  splintered,  and 
all  the  splinters  pointed  inboard.  He  examined  the  top  of  the  wood 
backing  level  with  the  armor  plate.  He  drew  me  a  sketch  of  its 
condition. 

The  backing  was  split  in  a  fore  and  aft  vertical  plane,  and  the  inboard 
part  of  the  backing  was  torn  off.  The  outboard  part  of  the  backing 
was  still  attached  to  the  plate.  The  splinters  were  on  the  forward  edge 
of  the  backing  and  pointed  inboard,  as  he  indicated  in  a  sketch.  These 
splinters  were  about  6  or  7  inches  long,  and  pointed  inboard,  as  he 
drew  them,  at  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees.  He  went  over  all  the  work 
two  or  three  times  to  make  sure,  and  is  positive  there  is  no  plating 
attached  to  the  main  deck  forward  of  the  break  in  the  ship's  side,  to 
which  he  referred,  at  a  point  aft  of  the  crane  equal  to  the  length  of  a 
plate  and  a  half  of  armor,  with  the  exception  of  the  strip  from  3  to  4 
feet  wide,  running  along  under  and  parallel  to  the  waterways. 

He  sent  up  a  splinter  from  the  backing,  on  which  he  had  measured 
the  thickness  of  the  armor  plate,  by  cutting  nicks  in  it  with  a  diver's 
knife.  I  measured  these  distances  with  a  ruler,  and  found  them  to  be 
12  and  8  inches. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Twelve  at  the  top  and  eight  at  the  bottom,  I  suppose? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  He  then  came  up,  and  to  make  perfectly  sure  of  what 
he  had  reported,  I  sent  him  down  again  to  examine  the  strip  of  plating 
under  the  waterways  more  closely.  He  said  he  found  that  way  aft,  a 
short  distance  forward  of  the  turret,  side  plating  was  bent  out.  At 
this  point  he  slipped  from  the  ship's  side  and  fell  out  into  the  mud.  He 
worked  himself  back  to  the  ship,  feeling  around  in  the  mud,  but  did 
not  find  any  plates.  The  strip  of  plating  at  the  waterway  he  found 
ragged  on  the  edge.     He  then  came  up. 

Eundquist  went  down  again  the  forenoon  of  March  2.  This  time 
he  went  down  on  the  port  side,  forward  of  the  port  crane,  where  the 
break  in  the  ship  occurs.  He  reported  that  he  got  in  among  a  lot  of 
wreckage  which  he  could  not  distinguish.  He  found  some  empty  pow- 
der tanks,  6-inch  and  10-inch.  Some  of  them  were  in  pretty  good  con- 
dition. He  found  rags  in  three;  the  others  he  reported  were  opened 
up  at  the  seams.  He  found  one  10-inch  tank  with  only  the  cover  gone. 
He  said  there  were  lots  more  rags  lying  about,  but  it  was  so  dark  he 
could  not  be  positive  whether  they  were  powder  bags.  He  walked 
around  and  got  into  a  place  where  there  was  lots  of  canvas  rolled  up. 
He  found  a  plate  standing  in  the  mud  on  a  slant,  the  upper  edge  point- 
ing inboard.  One  side  of  it  was  white  cork  paint,  the  other  was  slip- 
pery and  looked  green.     The  cork  side  was  to  port. 

On  the  afternoon  of  March  3  I  sent  Eundquist  down  on  the  starboard 
side  to  make  an  examination  there,  similar  to  the  one  he  had  made  on 
the  port  side.  He  went  down  first  under  the  supports  of  the  conning 
tower  as  they  now  are.  He  went  directly  down  into  the  mud,  and  then 
walked  in  toward  the  ship's  side.  The  mud  was  about  2  feet  deep. 
He  found  the  ship's  side  at  that  point  intact,  and  followed  it  forward 
until  he  reached  the  end  of  his  guide  line.  He  made  the  guide  line 
fast  to  a  piece  of  coal,  put  it  in  the  mud,  and  followed  the  side  along 
about  10  feet  more,  until  he  came  to  the  break  in  the  ship.  I  was 
unable  to  determine  his  exact  position  by  the  bubbles  on  account  of  the 
wreckage  of  the  superstructure  and  other  plates,  which  deflected  the 
bubbles  and  made  them  come  up  at  widely  different  places  in  a  very 


214     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

short  space  of  time.  The  edges  in  the  break  were  all  ragged  and  looked 
as  if  they  had  been  broken  between  two  frames. 

The  edges  were  bent  neither  in  nor  out,  but  presented  a  ragged 
appearance.  He  then  took  hold  of  the  break,  which  was  vertical,  and 
pulled  himself  up  6  or  7  feet.  There  the  break  turned  and  went  aft  in 
a  horizontal  line  about  2  feet.  The  forward  corner  of  the  plate — upper 
part — at  the  break  was  bent  down  and  aft.  This  horizontal  top  edge 
was  not  ragged,  but  had  rivet  holes  in  it.  This  was  level  with  the 
bottom  of  the  armor.  He  then  found  the  armor  and  crawled  vertically 
up  along  the  forward  edge.  He  found  the  wood  backing  projected  far- 
ther forward  than  the  armor  plate,  and  in  it  he  found  two  bolts.  The 
ends  of  the  bolts  were  smooth  and  appeared  not  to  have  been  broken 
off,  and  had  screw  threads.  There  was  a  washer  on  the  bolt  that  felt 
like  rubber.  He  felt  forward  of  the  armor  for  about  a  foot  and  a  half, 
and  found  the  wood  backing,  but  could  not  feel  the  end  of  it.  He  then 
climbed  up  until  he  got  to  the  top  of  the  armor  and  worked  himself 
aft,  hanging  on  it  with  his  arms  over  it  and  his  body  outside  the  ship. 

He  went  aft  for  about  12  feet.  Then  his  hand  slipped,  and  he  fell 
down  in  the  mud.  He  worked  himself  forward  again  to  the  break  in 
the  ship's  side,  and  worked  himself  up  and  over  the  same  corner  as 
before.  He  found  that  the  bottom  of  the  armor  was  about  12  feet  above 
the  mud  at  the  place  where  the  break  occurred.  He  worked  himself 
back  along  the  top  of  the  armor  as  before,  and  at  about  the  same  place 
slipped  again.  He  put  his  hands  over  the  armor  going  back  and  found 
a  foot  of  armor  and  6  or  7  inches  of  wood,  if  not  more.  He  did  not 
have  a  measure  with  him.  There  was  something  beyond  the  wood,  but 
he  did  not  have  time  to  examine  it.  When  he  slipped  from  the  side  he 
went  out  about  12  feet  in  the  mud.  He  found  pieces  of  plating,  which 
he  took  for  side  plating.  One  side  was  slippery  and  the  other  rough. 
It  was  so  dark  he  could  not  distinguish  colors.  The  slippery  side  was 
down  and  about  horizontal.  The  plating  was  a  little  curved,  and  the 
concave  side  was  up.  He  then  looked  for  the  end  of  his  guide  line,  and, 
when  he  found  it,  went  up.     He  found  a  great  deal  of  coal  in  the  mud. 

I  sent  Eundquist  down  again  in  the  afternoon  of  March  4  to  go  over 
the  same  ground.  He  went  down  near  the  conning-tower  supports,  as 
before,  and  got  into  the  mud  and  walked  into  the  ship's  side.  He  fol- 
lowed it  forward  until  he  came  to  the  break.  I  was  able  to  distinguish 
the  bubbles  more  clearly  at  this  time,  and  concluded  that  the  break  in 
the  ship's  side  was  at  the  same  frame  as  the  frame  on  the  port  side — 
about  frame  41.  He  climbed  up  the  vertical  break  until  he  came  to 
the  corner,  which  is  bent  over  as  he  described  before.  He  followed  it 
a  couple  of  feet  until  he  struck  the  forward  edge  of  the  armor  plate. 
He  climbed  up  the  forward  edge  of  the  armor  plate  and  examined  the 
backing  as  he  went  up.  The  backing  extended  fully  5  feet  farther 
forward  than  the  armor  plate.  The  splinters  on  the  forward  edge  of 
the  backing  pointed  outboard.  Then  he  went  up  on  top  of  the  armor 
and  crawled  along  about  4  or  5  feet  until  his  helmet  struck  up 
against  something  which  looked  like  athwartship  bulkhead,  painted 
white.  It  extended  above  the  armor,  and  the  upper  part  was  bent 
forward.     It  had  an  angle  iron  on  the  outboard  edge,  after  side. 

There  was  a  fore  and  aft  vertical  plate  riveted  to  this  angle  iron  at  right 
angles  to  the  bulkhead  he  had  just  mentioned.  He  said  he  was  sure 
this  did  not  belong  to  the  outside  plating.  He  went  farther  aft  for  fully 
two  lengths  of  an  armor  plate.  I  asked  him  how  he  could  tell  the  ends  of 
the  plate,  and  he  told  me  that  the  ends  of  the  plate  were  not  flush  at  the 
top;  the  forward  plate  was  about  4  or  5  inches  farther  out  from  the  ship 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  215 

than  the  after  one,  but  they  were  flush  at  the  bottom.  He  could  not 
go  farther  aft  than  two  plates'  length,  because  there  was  a  lot  of  wreck- 
age from  above  hanging  over  him,  which  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  the  for- 
ward wreckage  of  the  superstructure.  He  said  as  he  worked  aft  the 
armor  projected  about  6  inches  farther  out  than  the  side  plating  above 
it.  He  was  not  able  to  determine  exactly  the  distance  to  which  the  side 
plating  above  the  armor  was  blown  out,  on  account  of  all  the  wreckage 
over  the  main  deck  on  the  starboard  side. 

The  armor  stuck  out  this  way  about  6  inches  all  the  way  aft  to  where 
he  found  the  wreckage  which  he  has  just  spoken  of.  He  then  went 
forward  again  until  he  got  nearly  to  the  break  in  the  ship's  side  at  the 
armor  belt,  and  then  he  went  over  inside  the  armor  and  found  what  he 
took  to  be  a  deck  with  two  plates  riveted  together.  He  is  sure  the 
total  thickness  of  both  plates  together  was  not  more  than  an  inch. 
These  plates  were  painted  reddish  brown.  The  plate  was  a  little  curved 
and  extended  inboard  horizontally  about  2  feet,  and  was  then  broken 
off,  with  ragged  edges  bent  down.  This  plate  was  flush  with  the  top 
of  the  backing.  He  then  went  forward  to  the  end  of  the  armor  plating, 
where  the  break  occurs,  and  made  his  guide  line  fast  to  one  of  the  bolts 
going  through  the  wood  backing.  Then  he  lowered  himself  down  inside 
the  wood  backing.  He  found  a  number  of  pieces  of  board,  planking, 
and  coal,  and  plates.  The  boards  were  about  2£  inches  in  thickness. 
He  could  not  distinguish  the  color. 

Inside  he  found  a  vertical  fore  and  aft  bulkhead,  about  4  feet 
from  the  wood  backing.  He  found  athwartship  bulkheads  about  4 
feet  apart  and  states  that  he  could  lincl  no  holes  in  them,  and  thinks  he 
was  in  a  pocket  of  some  kind.  He  found  some  pieces  of  inch  piping  in 
this  compartment.  He  hauled  himself  up  again  on  the  line,  and  then 
went  over  the  side  at  the  break  of  the  armor  belt,  and  went  down  in 
the  mud  and  found  the  side  plating  underneath  where  the  armor  plates 
that  are  missing  had  been,  and  found  where  it  had  been  torn  down  in 
a  vertical  line  and  bent  out  nearly  horizontally,  and  the  extreme  out- 
board end  bent  vertically  down  in  the  mud.  He  scraped  away  the 
mud  as  far  as  he  could,  but  could  not  find  the  end  of  the  plating.  He 
found  a  small  pipe  attached  to  these  plates,  made  of  composition,  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  He  sent  this  pipe  up.  He  felt  in  the 
mud  and  found  a  great  many  pieces  of  broken  crockery,  and  found  six 
mess  plates  all  together.  These  were  about  15  feet  from  the  ship's 
side;  he  also  found  a  10-inch  powder  tank  with  rags  of  powder  bag 
inside.  He  sent  the  tank  up.  I  examined  the  tank  and  found  that  it 
still  preserved  its  cylindrical  shape,  but  the  head  and  bottom  were 
missing.  Otherwise  the  tank  was  practically  uninjured.  He  sent  up 
the  bag.  He  found  this  tank  about  15  feet  from  the  ship's  side.  This 
bag  was  ragged  in  appearance,  but  on  being  opened  up  presented  a 
square  foot  or  more  of  intact  surface. 

Q.  Were  there  any  signs  of  fire? 

A.  I  could  not  tell  whether  it  had  been  burned  or  not.  The  sup- 
porting tapes  were  ragged  and  were  blackened.  Everything  down  on 
the  bottom  looked  as  if  the  iusides  of  the  ship  had  been  blowu  right 
out  to  starboard.  He  found  coal  wherevei  he  went.  He  went  out 
about  20  feet,  but  believes  the  coal  goes  out  much  farther.  I  then 
asked  him  how  this  condition  compared  with  what  he  found  on  the  port 
side  opposite  the  break,  and  he  told  me  at  that  point  there  was  no  coal — 
nothing  but  mud.  That  concludes  my  testimony  with  reference  to  the 
diving  of  Rundquist. 

In  the  afternoon  of  March  2  I  sent  Schluter  down  on  the  port  side 


216  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

forward  of  the  break.  I  told  hiin  to  see  if  he  could  find  any  of  the  armor 
of  the  ship.  He  went  down  about  30  feet  forward  of  the  port  crane 
and  landed  on  what  he  thought  was  a  deck  light.  He  said  there  were 
planks  about  it  running  in  athwartship  direction.  This  was  about  15 
feet  from  where  the  ship's  side  would  have  been.  He  felt  all  around 
among  the  wreckage,  but  did  not  recognize  anything  until  he  found  the 
armor  plate,  to  which  he  attached  a  line.  He  measured  the  plate  with 
a  ruler.  This  plate  stood  on  an  angle  with  the  thick  armored  side  for- 
ward. He  measured  this  plate  and  found  that  the  part  which  he  called 
the  thick  armored  side  was  6  inches  in  width.  Behind  that  he  found 
9  inches  of  wood  backing,  and  behind  the  wood  backing  he  found  3^-inch 
plate  of  armor.  The  bolt-head  came  out  of  this  3.^-inch  armored  side. 
I  plumbed  this  plate  with  a  line  which  he  attached  to  it,  and  found  it 
in  line  with  the  mainmast  and  port  crane,  about  40  feet  forward  of  the 
crane,  inside  the  line  of  the  ship. 

I  sent  Schluter  down  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  and  told  him  to  examine 
the  plating  on  the  port  side  abaft  the  crane,  just  under  the  main  deck. 
He  went  over  the  side  to  fore  and  aft  above  the  port  crane  and  felt  the 
side  plating.  The  main  deck  sloped  down  to  starboard.  The  outside 
plating  was  bent  sharply  from  outside  in,  making  an  acute  angle  at 
the  waterway.  Then  he  crawled  away  aft  and  felt  over  the  edge,  and 
in  places  could  not  find  any  side  plating  attached  to  the  end  of  the 
waterways.  He  went  as  far  aft  as  the  turret.  He  said  the  plating 
about  10  feet  forward  of  the  turret  is  broken  right  out.  A  little  for- 
ward of  that  was  another  plate,  blown  up  and  out. 

Q.  On  the  starboard  side? 

A.  On  the  port  side,  sir.  This  had  beams  fast  to  it  and  looked  like 
a  deck.  Forward  of  this  plate  for  about  7  or  8  ieet  is  wreckage  inside 
the  line  of  the  ship.  It  looks  as  if  it  had  been  blown  outboard  to  port. 
He  then  crawled  along  the  top  of  the  armor,  which  was  all  clear  as  far 
forward  as  the  crane,  and  there  it  is  broken  clear  off. 

Q.  What  is? 

A.  The  armor. 

This  is  corroborative  of  the  testimony  of  Eundquist.  Just  at  the 
break  of  the  armor  about  8  inches  inboard  from  the  armor  the  wood 
backing  is  blown  up  and  inboard. 

Q.  Which  deck  is  that? 

A.  I  take  that  to  be  the  berth-deck,  as  that  was  the  upper  edge  of 
the  armor.  That  covored  the  protective  deck.  He  did  not  examine 
the  strip  of  plating  under  the  waterway  farther  aft  than  10  feet  from  the 
craiie,  but  all  that  he  felt  was  blown  inboard.  That  is  as  much  of  the 
diver's  statements  as  I  have  up  to  the  present  time. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  look  at  the  sketch  you  have  presented  the  court  of 
the  frame  plates  and  broken  keel  of  the  ship.  When  you  look  at  A,  is 
that  in  the  inboard  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  That  is  the  inboard  side  of  the  ship,  between  frames  26  and  17, 
and  is  broken  off  between  the  first  and  second  logitudinals  and  between 
the  second  and  third  longitudinals,  embracing  a  space  of  about  two 
longitudinals  between  frames. 

Q.  jSTow,  the  right-hand  edge  of  this  plate,  as  you  see  it — where 
would  that  be  if  the  plate  was  bent  back  into  its  original  position? 

A.  It  would  be  the  lower  part  of  the  plate — the  garboard  strake. 

Q.  And  the  left-hand  edge — what  would  that  be? 

A.  The  upper  part  of  the  plating. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  IT.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     217 

Q.  And  the  longitudinal  which  is  marked  on  Plate  A — which  longi- 
tudinal is  that? 

A.  The  second  longitudinal,  from  keel,  on  the  port  side. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  That  would  be  this  one  [indicating  on  sketch]1? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  the  second  one. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Looking  at  plate  B,  on  the  sketch,  the  face  which  you  see  there, 
is  that  in  the  inboard  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  It  is. 

Q.  What  longitudinal  is  that  marked  on  this  plate? 

A.  This  is  a  part  of  the  third  longitudinal. 

Q.  If  this  plate  was  put  back  into  its  original  position,  in  which 
direction  would  the  right  edge  be? 

A.  The  lower  edge. 

Q.  And  the  left  edge? 

A.  That  would  be  the  upper  edge. 

Q.  And  the  dark  part  marked  "  D,"  between  plates  A  and  B,  what 
is  that? 

A.  Outside  of  the  outer  skin  of  the  ship. 

Q.  That  is  painted  green? 

A.  It  is. 

Q.  And  above  plate  A  there  is  a  place  torn  in  the  keel  of  the  ship, 
where  the  keel  goes  downward.    About  what  frame  is  that? 

A.  Between  frame  17  and  18. 

Q.  And  how  far  down  does  this  keel  go  in  the  vertical  position  it  now 
has,  between  what  frames? 

A.  Between  frames  22  and  23. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  Where  is  the  6-inch  shell  room,  the  forward  6-inch  shell  room,  on 
that  keel? 

A.  The  forward  6  inch  shell  room  rested  on  the  upper  half  of  the 
vertical  part  of  the  keel,  as  shown. 

Q.  And  the  fixed  ammunition  room,  where  was  that? 

A.  Eight  over  the  angle  of  the  keel,  at  frame  22  and  23. 

Q.  Where  would  the  10-inch  shell  room  have  been? 

A.  The  10-inch  shell  room  and  magazine  are  on  the  flat  part  of  the 
keel,  marked  "C." 

By  the  Judge -Advocate: 

Q.  How  much  plating  is  there  attached  to  the  keel,  which  is  up  and 
down  on  the  sketch,  do  you  know  ? 

A.  I  could  not  state  that  definitely.  You  might  ask  Smith  or  Olsen 
about  that. 

Q.  But  the  horizontal  keel  which  is  marked  "  C,"  has  the  ship's  side 
attached  to  it  for  some  distance  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  The  inner  skin  is  for  some  distance  on  the  starboard  side,  but 
through  a  crack  in  the  inner  skin,  the  diver  found  the  outer  skin,  but 
as  to  the  full  extent,  it  would  be  pretty  difficult  to  find  out,  on  account 
of  all  the  wreckage  thrown  down  around  it. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Did  you  locate  that  four- way  pipe? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


218  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Where  was  that  originally,  according  to  your  deduction? 

A.  Between  frame  17  and  frame  18. 

Smith  says  he  measured  21  inches  from  the  midship  line  to  the 
flange,  and  that  agrees  with  the  drawing. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  to-day,  he  was 
directed  to  come  before  the  court  at  10  a.  m.  on  Monday  next. 

The  court  then  (at  3.40  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  Monday,  March  7, 
1898,  at  10  a.  m.,  on  board  the  U.  S.  L.  H.  tender  Mangrove,  harbor  of 
Havana. 

SPECIAL    SESSION. 

The  court  reassembled  at  5  p.  in.  to  take  some  additional  testimony 
of  the  captain  and  first  officer  of  the  City  of  Washington,  which  is  to 
sail  to-night. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

First  Officer  George  Cornell,  of  the  City  of  Washington,  appeared 
as  a  witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name  and  profession. 

A.  George  Cornell,  first  officer  of  the  steamer  City  of  Washington. 

Q.  To  what  line  of  steamers  does  she  belong? 

A.  The  Ward  Line. 

Q.  Were  you  on  board  the  City  of  Washington,  in  the  harbor  of 
Havana,  on  the  night  of  the  15th  of  February,  when  the  Maine  was 
blown  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  City  of  Washington  were  you  in? 

A.  I  was  standing  amidships,  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  On  the  upper  deck  ? 

A.  On  the  upper  deck ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  looking  right  at  the  Maine? 

A.  Yes.  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  what  you  heard  and  what  you  saw? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  standing  on  the  gangway,  and  giving  the  quarter- 
master orders  to  call  the  men  at  5  o'clock  in  tbe  morning.  While  I  was 
standing  there  1  heard  a  rumbling  sound,  and  we  saw  the  Maine  raise 
up  forward.  After  that  the  explosion  occurred,  and  the  stuff  was  fly- 
ing in  the  air  in  all  directions.  She  sank  immediately  at  the  forward 
end,  sir. 

Q.  At  the  first  noise  or  rumbling  did  anything  fly  up,  or  did  she  only 
lift? 

A.  The  ship  lifted. 

Q.  Forward? 

A.  Forward;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  interval  was  there  between  the  rumbling  noise  and  the  ex- 
plosion ? 

A.  I  think  there  must  have  been  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  seconds — 
not  a  full  minute. 

Q.  That  is,  a  long  time? 

A.  Almost  immediately;  there  was  not  very  much  of  an  interval. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  did  the  explosion  come  out  of  when  you 
saw  it? 

A.  Amidships. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  219 

Q.  Was  there  much  flame  coming  up? 

A.  There  was  not  much  flame. 

Q.  Did  a  large  piece  of  cement  drop  on  your  deck  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Can  you  identify  it? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

(A  large  piece  of  cement  was  trought  into  the  court  room  and  showed 
to  witness.) 

Q.  Is  this  the  piece  of  cement  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  the  piece  of  cement.  A  small  piece  has  been 
cut  off  at  one  end. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  How  were  you  anchored  with  reference  to  the  Maine? 

A.  We  were  anchored  fast  to  a  buoy. 

Q.  But  what  direction  was  the  Maine  from  you? 

A.  The  Maine  was  lying  on  her  starboard  side,  sir.  We  were  off 
the  port  quarter  of  the  Maine. 

Q.  How  much  did  she  lift  at  the  first  sound  you  heard? 

A.  She  lifted  most  nearly  all  out  of  water.  She  raised  up  consider- 
ably, but  it  was  kind  of  dark,  and  how  high  she  lifted  up  I  couldn't 
exactly  say.    We  saw  her  raising  by  her  lights. 

Q.  The  next  thing  you  saw  was  the  debris? 

A.  The  debris ;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  water  thrown  up? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  don't  think  so.  I  only  seen  these  large  pieces  flying  in 
the  air  close  by  where  I  stood  looking  over  the  rail.  We  couldn't  get 
out  of  the  way  of  the  debris,  and  it  fell  on  the  deck  and  all  over  us. 

Q.  You  could  not  tell  whether  you  saw  her  ram  or  not  when  she  was 
lifted  up? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  too  dark  to  see  that. 

Q.  You  say  she  raised  almost  out  of  the  water  forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  can  not  say  how  much  she  raised? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  could  not. 

Q.  There  was  a  very  decided  interval  between  the  first  sound  you 
heard  and  the  explosion,  was  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  There  was  a  very  decided  interval,  was  there? 

A.  There  was  not  much.  Between  fifteen  and  eighteen  seconds.  It 
might  have  seemed  to  me  longer  than  it  really  was.  It  was  immedi- 
ately after  the  rumbling  noise. 

(The  president  of  the  court  produced  a  watch  and  counted  the  sec- 
onds. The  witness  stopped  him  at  the  third  second,  saying  the  time 
was  less  than  that.) 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  The  interval  between  the  two  was  decided? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Did  you  feel  anything? 
A.  Yes;  the  ship  was  kind  of  shaking. 
Q.  When  did  you  feel  that? 
A.  Bight  after  the  rumbling  sound. 
Q.  Before  the  explosion  ? 
A.  At  the  same  time  the  explosion  happened. 


220  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  the  witness  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct.     Whereupon  he  withdrew. 

Oapt.  Frank  Stevens,  of  the  City  of  Washington,  appeared  as  a 
witness  before  the  court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president: 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name  and  profession. 

A.  Frank  Stevens,  master  mariner. 

Q.  You  are  captain  of  the  steamer  City  of  Washington,  Ward  Line? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  in  the  harbor  of  Havana  last  month  when  the  Maine 
exploded  t 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  Were  you  at  that  time  in  command  of  the  City  of  Washington? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  How  far  were  you  anchored  from  the  Maine  at  the  time? 

A.  About  300  feet. 

Q.  In  what  direction  was  your  ship  from  the  Maine  ? 

A.  We  were  on  the  Maine's  port  quarter,  nearly  astern. 

Q.  Nearly  astern  ? 

A.  Nearly  astern;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  you  at  the  time  this  happened? 

A.  I  was  standing  along  amidships,  abaft  the  smokestack  on  the 
port  side,  where  I  could  look  through  between  the  smokestack  and  for- 
ward end  of  the  midship  deck  house,  toward  the  Maine. 

Q.  Please  tell  the  court  what  you  heard  and  what  you  saw. 

A.  I  heard  a  dull,  muffled  explosion,  and  commotion,  like  as  though  it 
was  under  the  water,  followed  instantly  by  a  terrific  explosion,  lighting 
up  the  air  with  a  dull  red  glare,  filling  the  air  fall  of  flying  missies  which 
lit  all  around  us.     We  were  struck,  I  think,  in  four  places. 

By  the  Oourt  : 

Q.  By  the  fragments  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  could  hear  it  dropping  into  the  water  the  other 
side  of  us.  After  getting  out  the  starboard  forward  boat  we  found 
there  was  a  hole  in  it,  and  got  the  port  one  out.  I  noticed  that  the 
water  on  the  port  side  of  us  was  full  of  floating  wreckage  from  the 
Maine.  I  got  out  three  boats,  two  quarter  boats  and  the  port  forward 
boat,  and  sent  them  out  in  charge  of  officers  to  save  lives. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  any  trembling  of  your  own  ship  at  either  of  these 
explosions? 

A.  The  last  one  I  did,  but  the  first  one  I  did  not.     Everything  shook. 

Q.  Was  there  a  very  decided  interval  between  the  first  noise  and  the 
explosion  ? 

A.  There  was. 

Q.  Were  you  looking  at  the  Maine  at  the  time  of  the  first  noise? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  What  did  the  Maine  appear  to  do? 

A.  My  first  impression  was  when  I  heard  this  noise  that  it  was  a  gun 
or  a  salute,  but  that  changed  instantly,  and  then  it  flashed  across  my 
mind  that  there  was  dynamite  under  the  bottom  of  that  ship.  That 
was  my  impression. 

Q.  Did  you  see  the  Maine  lift  at  all  ? 

A.  I  did  not,  I  being  on  the  opposite  side  and  looking  through.  I 
seen  the  mainmast  and  part  of  her  outline,  but  could  not  see  her  lift. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  221 

There  being  110  farther  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  aloud  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced 
correct. 

The  court  then  (at  5.20  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  Monday,  March  7, 
1898,  at  10  a.  m.,  ou  board  the  U.  8.  light-house  tender  Mangrove,  har- 
bor of  Havana. 


ELEVENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  March  7,  1898 — 11  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  Saturday,  after  having 
proceeded  in  a  body  to  the  wreck  to  make  a  personal  inspection. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  the 
stenographer,  and  Captain  Sigsbee. 
The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  Saturday  was  read  and  approved. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell,  a  former  wituess,  was  then  recalled,  and 
cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still  under  oath 
taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

(The  piece  of  cement  here  brought  into  the  court  on  Saturday  and 
identified  by  the  first  officer,  Cornell,  was  then  shown  to  the  witness). 

Q.  Will  you  examine  this  piece  of  cement  and  identify  it  if  you  can? 

A.  I  saw  that  piece  of  cement  on  the  City  of  Washington,  and  now 
identify  it  as  the  same  piece.  My  opinion  is  that  it  was  blown  from  the 
Maine,  and  came  from  underneath  the  berth-deck  blower  on  the  port 
side. 

Q.  Upon  what  do  you  base  your  opinion  ? 

A.  That  blower  was  not  placed  at  right  angles  to  the  bulkhead  on  the 
forward  side,  and  this  piece  of  cement  shows  marks  of  an  angle  similar 
to  the  acute  angle,  which  is  the  base  of  the  blower. 

Q.  Is  it  not  a  very  heavy  piece  of  cement  for  the  base  of  the  blower1? 

A.  I  do  not  know  exactly  how  this  cement  was,  but  I  believe  it  was 
2£  inches  thick,  similar  to  this.  I  mean  to  say,  I  do  not  know  how 
thick  that  cement  was,  but  this  piece  is  about  2£  inches  thick,  and  that 
is  a  very  reasonable  thickness  to  put  either.  The  cement  has  also  indi- 
cations of  oil  on  both  sides  of  it,  and  I  also  know  that  that  cement  had 
oil  on  the  under  side,  because  I  have  seen  oil  drop  through  from  that  deck 
down  into  the  bunker  underneath.  This  cement  showed  oil  on  both  sides 
while  on  the  City  of  Washington.  The  marks  of  rivet  heads  on  this 
cement  and  the  imprint  also  of  the  angle  iron  and  the  running  in  line, 
similar  to  the  acute  angle  I  have  spoken  of  before,  which  is  also 
another  indication  that  it  came  from  the  bottom  of  that  blower.  I 
should  say  that  the  top  and  bottom  sides  are  parallel. 

Q.  There  is  a  set  of  photographs  of  12  views  on  the  table  here.  Can 
you  inform  the  court  how  they  were  obtained1? 

A.  I  received  orders  from  the  commanding  officer  to  instruct  the 
photographer  of  the  12  views  that  were  desirable,  and  was  with  the 
photographer  when  he  took  about  8  of  these  views.  After  that  time  there 
were  so  many  boats  around  the  wreck  that  I  could  not  get  the  views 
that  were  wanted,  and  the  whole  set  of  12  was  then  made  up  from  plates 
which  the  photographer  had  already  taken. 

Q.  Would  you  be  able  to  get  photographs — starboard  view  and  port 


222  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

view — of  the  three  projections  above  the  water,  of  wreckage,  which 
are  forward  of  the  superstructure,  the  three  together,  and  the  three 
separately  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  consult  with  Captain  Sigsbee  and  receive  orders  to  that 
effect? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Captain  Sigsbee  : 

Q.  You  are  a  photographer  yourself,  are  you  not ! 

A.  I  have  done  a  good  deal  of  work  in  photography;  yes,  sir. 

The  Judge- Advocate.  I  request  that  the  above  photographs  be 
appended  to  the  record  and  marked  Exhibit  I. 

The  request  was  granted,  and  the  said  photographs  were  appended 
to  the  record  marked  Exhibit  I. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect; whereupon,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss 
matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Ensign  W.  Y.  N.  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  then 
recalled,  and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still 
under  oath  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  which  you  gave  before  this 
court  on  Saturday  last  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  with  some  exceptions  which  I  have  noted. 

Q.  Will  you  please  give  the  corrections  to  the  stenographer? 

A.  On  page  453,  fifth  line  from  the  bottom,  insert  "to"  before  "star- 
board" and  "at"  before  "quite." 

Page  456,  fourth  line,  "I  would  say"  should  be  "He  said." 

Page  460,  twelfth  line  from  the  bottom,  change  "apart"  to  "from 
the  keel." 

Page  463,  last  line,  insert  after  "the"  "mud  at  the." 

Page  465,  tenth  line  from  the  bottom,  "far  aft V  should  be  "fore  and 
aft." 

Page  469,  eleventh  line,  insert  "the"  between  "turret"  and  "side." 

Page  476,  tenth  line,  change  "to  fore  and  aft  above"  to  "a  little 
baft." 

Page  477,  third  line,  change  "backing"  to  "planking  of  the  deck." 

Same  page,  thirteenth  line,  "between  the  first  and  second  longitudi- 
nal" should  be  "between  the  keel  and  first  longitudinal." 

That  is  all. 

Q.  Is  the  testimony,  as  now  amended,  correct  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Lieut.  Commander  Richard  Wainwright  here  entered  the  court. 

The  Judge-Advocate.  Mr.  Powelson,  have  you  any  further  testi- 
mony to  offer  of  the  nature  that  you  gave  on  Saturday  last — that  is, 
testimony  derived  from  what  was  reported  to  you  by  divers? 

Mr.  Powelson.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  the  work  of  Olsen  on  Saturday 
morning. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  223 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  give  it. 

A.  On  Saturday  morning  last,  March  5,  I  sent  Olsen  down  to  the 
piece  of  the  keel — the  vertical  keel — which  is  now  vertical,  with  instruc- 
tions to  make  farther  explorations  in  the  region  of  the  10-inch  magazine. 
He  went  down  to  where  the  keel  becomes  horizontal  at  frame  23.  Then 
he  walked  aft  about  25  feet,  climbed  over  a  lot  of  wreckage  consisting 
of  plates  or  bulkheads  standing  upright.  The  upper  ends  of  these  plates 
were  ragged,  and  he  crawled  over  them  and  on  the  other  side  found 
what  he  thought  was  part  of  a  boiler. 

I  asked  him  how  he  could  distinguish  the  boiler;  whether  there  was 
any  of  its  original  shape  or  not,  and  he  could  not  give  me  any  definite 
details,  but  said  from  the  general  look  of  the  piece  of  wreckage  he 
would  take  it  for  a  boiler.  He  went  a  little  farther  aft  from  this,  which 
he  considered  a  boiler,  and  walked  out  to  port,  clear  of  the  ship,  into 
the  mud.  He  was  at  this  time  forward  of  the  break  of  the  ship  at 
frame  No.  41.  He  found  nothing  in  the  mud  and  came  back,  walking  to 
starboard.  About  10  feet  in  he  found  some  wreckage.  He  examined 
this  plate  and  found  that  it  was  curved  as  if  it  were  a  part  of  the  side 
plating.  This,  he  said,  was  about  10  feet  inboard  of  the  side  of  the  ship. 
It  did  not  lay  exactly  fore  and  aft;  it  pointed  toward  the  starboard 
bow.  It  was  so  dark  he  could  not  distinguish  the  color.  He  walked 
up  on  top  of  the  plating  and  found  all  the  edges  rough.  From  the  top 
of  the  plate  he  found  a  horizontal  plate  about  2  or  3  feet  wide,  and  in 
a  corner  some  cellulose  packed  in  tightly.  He  said  the  compartment 
seemed  to  be  about  2£  or  3  feet  wide.  Abaft  that  he  found  something 
like  a  boiler.  It  was  very  black,  all  crushed  up,  and  he  could  not 
recognize  any  definite  form.  He  was  not  absolutely  sure  that  it  was  a 
boiler. 

He  went  forward  from  this  point  about  10  feet  and  found  some  loose 
wreckage,  and  he  lifted  up  a  couple  of  plates  and  threw  them  aside. 
He  felt  around  and  found  a  G-inch  tank.  He  found  it  intact.  He  lifted 
it  and  found  it  was  heavy,  and  sent  it  up.  This  afterwards  proved  to 
be  a  full  tank.  He  found  a  lot  of  broken  tanks  split  up  on  the  seams, 
and  in  one  tank,  at  the  cover,  which  has  holes  in  it,  he  found  a  lot  of  mud 
which  he  brought  up,  and  which  he  said  looked  like  dissolved  powder. 
He  said  there  was  any  quantity  of  similar  mud  in  the  same  place.  The 
mud  around  the  tanks  was  very  dark  in  color,  but  the  mud  outside, 
forming  the  bottom  of  the  harbor,  is  of  a  gray  color.  He  also  found  a 
plate  of  angle  iron  and  U-bar  stiffen ers  riveted  to  it,  about  1  foot  apart. 

Q.  Is  that  all  of  this  nature1? 

A.  That  is  all  up  to  this  morning. 

Q.  What  side  did  he  go  down  when  he  found  what  he  supposed  to  be 
a  broken  boiler1? 

A.  He  found  the  boiler  first  in  the  midship  line,  and  then  walked  to 
port. 

Q.  Where  did  you  locate  Olsen,  when  he  found  the  full  6-inch  tank  f 

A.  I  was  at  that  time  on  board  the  Mangrove. 

Q.  Have  you  any  further  testimony  to  give1? 

A.  No,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Did  Olsen  mention  the  thickness  of  this  wreckage  which  he  sup- 
posed to  be  the  boiler1? 

A.  No,  sir;  he  said  it  was  without  shape,  and  he  could  not  distin- 
guish anything  about  it. 


224  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  thickness  of  the  Maine's  boilers'? 

A.  I  do  not. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  directed 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  for  further  evidence  and  to  read  over  the 
evidence  just  now  given.    Whereupon  he  withdrew. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell,  TJ.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  then 
recalled  and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  under 
the  oath  which  he  had  previously  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  What  was  the  thickness  of  the  Blaine's  boilers — the  shell 

A.  About  1^  inches. 

Q.  All  over  ? 

A.  All  the  shell. 

Q.  What  is  the  thickness  of  the  heads? 

A.  They  were  approximately  the  same.  Some  parts  of  the  heads 
were  different. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect; whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Gunner's  Mate  Rundquist,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  recalled 
and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still  under  the 
oath  which  he  had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Since  you  gave  your  last  testimony,  have  you  done  any  more  div- 
ing at  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  report  the  results  of  what  you  had  found  when 
you  came  up  out  of  the  water  ? 

A.  Ensign  Powelson. 

Q.  Referring  to  the  reports  that  you  made  to  him — were  they  strictly 
correct  as  if  you  had  been  under  oath? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  went  down  on  the  forenoon  of  March  1.  Do  you  remember 
going  down  the  ladder  on  the  port  side? 

A.  I  went  down  the  ladder  on  the  port  side  of  the  Maine. 

Q.  Did  you  find  anything  made  fast  to  the  waterways  ? 

A.  I  found  a  piece  of  the  side  plating. 

Q.  You  then  went  on  to  what  you  supposed  to  be  the  berth  deck,  did 
you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  way  did  it  slope? 

A.  It  inclined  aft  and  to  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  hole  in  the  berth  deck  ? 

A.  I  found  a  hole;  that  is,  it  looked  to  me  to  be  a  hole. 

Q.  How  large? 

A.  T  could  not  say  how  large  it  was. 

Q.  Was  the  wood  broken  at  the  edges? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  then  went  farther  down  ? 

A.  I  went  farther  down. 

Q.  What  did  you  find — do  you  remember? 


DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     225 

A.  There  was  a  lot  of  coal,  in  the  first  place.    I  sent  a  big  piece  of 
coal  up. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  do  you  think  yon  were  in  then? 

A.  I  should  judge  I  was  in  the  port  side  of  the  ship,  and  in  one  of 
the  coal  bunkers.    There  was  lots  of  coal — two  or  three  feet  deep. 

Q.  How  far  forward  or  abaft  the  crane  were  you? 

A.  I  must  have  been  on  the  forward  part  of  the  crane. 

Q.  Was  this  coal  outside  of  the  ship  or  inside  of  the  ship? 

A.  Inside  of  the  ship. 

Q.  None  of  it  had  been  blown  out? 

A.  No,  sir;  at  least,  I  could  not  say  not. 

Q.  You  found  a  vertical  bulkhead  about  this  time  did  you  not,  on 
your  right  side,  walking  forward? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  do? 

A.  I  examined  this  bulkhead.     I  believe  I  went  over  it. 

Q.  Did  you  strike  your  helmet  against  something? 

A.  I  struck  my  helmet  against  something,  and  it  prevented  my 
going  forward  in  that  direction. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  about  this  time;  do  you  remember'? 

A.  I  believe  that  is  the  time  I  found  some  powder  inside  a  tank. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  tank? 

A.  Ten-inch  tank. 

Q.  Did  you  send  the  tank  up  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  sent  up  a  tank  with  what  looked  to  me  to  be  powder 
bags. 

Q.  Did  the  bags  fall  outside  the  tank  when  you  sent  it  up? 

A.  The  men  that  received  it  said  that  they  fell  out. 

Q.  You  then  got  tangled  up  in  Avhat? 

A.  I  then  got  tangled  up  in  a  line. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  line? 

A.  A  line  that  was  leading  down. 

Q.  Did  you  not  find  a  lot  of  wires — a  lot  of  electric  wires? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  about  fifty  of  them  in  a  bunch.  That  was  as  much  as 
I  could  take  in  two  hands. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  As  before? 

A.  In  the  same  place,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  aft  did  you  find  that  the  break  in  the  side  plate  extended  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say  exactly  how  far  aft  from  above  it  was,  but  I  fol- 
lowed the  armor  plate,  and  it  extended  for  fully  two  lengths  of  the 
armor  plate  aft. 

Q.  What  do  you  call  the  break  in  the  ship — where? 

A.  Where  the  ship  was  blown  apart. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  was  that? 

A.  That  was  where  the  armor  plate  ended,  on  the  forward  part  of  the 
ship. 

Q.  Can  you  describe  about  what  part  of  the  ship  it  was,  what  you 
call  a  break  ? 

A.  I  could  not  say  exactly;  but  it  was  where  the  ship  had  been 
blown  up. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  about  opposite  the  forward  part  of  the  middle 
superstructure,  as  it  was? 

A.  I  should  say  it  was  forward  of  that. 

Q.  Did  you  crawl  with  your  arms  over  the  armor? 
S.Dec.  207 15 


226     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  outside  the  armor,  and  was  walking  with  my 
hands  on  top  of  the  armor  plate. 

Q.  You  informed  Mr.  Powelson  that  you  had  gone  a  certain  distance 
and  a  certain  number  of  plates.     How  could  you  tell  that? 

A.  I  could  tell  by  that  the  two  plates  had  been  joined  together.  One 
plate  extended  further  out  than  the  other. 

Q.  Which  plate  was  the  one  that  was  farther  out? 

A.  The  forward  one;  the  one  that  was  closer  to  the  break. 

Q.  About  how  much  out  were  they? 

A.  About  5  or  6  inches. 

Q.  In  your  dive  on  this  occasion  you  found  some  pieces  of  tin  with 
wire  attached? 

A.  I  found  some  wires;  I  sent  some  of  them  up.  There  was  a  long 
string,  about  15  feet,  of  heavy  wire. 

Q.  After  you  sent  that  wire  up,  I  understand,  you  examined  the  back 
of  the  armor  plate.     What  condition  did  you  find  this  backing  then? 

A.  The  end  was  all  twisted  and  torn  and  ragged  edges;  and  then 
they  all  looked  and  pointed  inboard.  I  also  examined  the  upper  part 
of  the  backing  and  found  the  iuside  corner  of  it  was  gone. 

Q.  Did  you  send  a  splinter  of  this  backing  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  the  armor  plate  by  this  splinter? 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

Q.  Top  and  bottom? 

A.  Top  and  bottom. 

Q.  How  could  you  measure  the  bottom  ? 

A.  The  lower  edge  of  the  armor  plate  was  a  foot  beneath  the  mud, 
and  I  could  stick  my  hand  beneath  it. 

Q.  Then  there  was  no  plate  of  the  ship  under  the  armor  plate? 

A.  This  was  just  at  the  first  break  of  the  armor  belt,  and  there  was 
no  plate  left  underneath  of  it.  There  was  nothing  of  the  ship's  side 
left.     This  was  just  at  the  end  of  it. 

Q.  How  much  of  the  armor  plating  had  no  ship's  plate  under  it? 

A.  I  could  not  say,  because  I  did  not  measure. 

Q.  How  much  do  you  think? 

A.  I  felt  a  couple  of  feet  and  there  was  nothing  there  left  of  it.  Fore 
and  aft  there  was  side  plating  standing,  but  I  do  not  know  how  far  it 
extended. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  the  next  forenoon? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  where? 

A.  I  believe  I  went  down  on  the  same  place  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  Are  you  sure  you  did  not  go  down  forward  of  the  port  crane? 

A.  I  may  have  gone  down  forward  of  it,  but  it  was  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  You  found  the  powder  tanks  on  this  occasion? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Please  describe  them. 

A.  They  were  all  pressed  in,  and  I  also  found  some  powder  bags.  I 
put  this  powder  bag  in  a  pocket  of  my  overalls  for  fear  of  losing  it. 
I  was  trying  to  send  this  tank  up,  but  it  got  afoul  of  something  and 
so  I  let  it  go.    I  left  it  down  there. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  in  how  many  you  found  rags? 

A.  I  found  rags  in  three  or  four  of  them. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  10-inch  tanks  with  the  covers  on? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  227 

Q.  What  were  these  tanks,  what  size,  6  or  10  inch?  Can  you  state 
about  how  many? 

A.  I  could  not  say  how  many,  because  there  were  tanks  and  pieces 
of  tanks  all  around.     I  could  not  say  how  many  there  were. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  pieces  of  tanks  ? 

A.  Tanks  pressed  together.    They  feel  very  small  down  there. 

Q.  Then  you  mean  tanks  which  do  not  have  their  shape  as  well  as 
others'? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  then  got  among  a  lot  of  canvas  ? 

A.  I  got  among  a  lot  of  canvas  all  rolled  up.  It  must  have  been  a 
sail  locker. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  plate  standing  in  the  mud  at  this  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Please  describe  it. 

A.  I  found  a  plate  standing  on  the  edge  down  in  the  mad.  I  believe 
I  went  over  this  plate  and  I  got  down  along  the  hole,  which  looked  to 
be  an  inner  passage  or  double  bottom.  It  may  have  been  an  inner  pas- 
sage, and  a  lot  of  compartments  and  sections,  like.  The  compartment 
had  a  big,  round,  circular  hole  in  it. 

Q.  This  one  plate  which  I  referred  to,  did  it  have  cork  paint  on  it, 
on  one  side  ? 

A.  Cork  paint  on  one  side  and  on  the  outside  it  was  slippery. 

Q.  Was  the  cork  paint  to  the  port  or  starboard? 

A.  It  was  to  starboard. 

Q.  Think  again. 

A.  The  slippery  side  was  to  starboard  and  the  cork  paint  to  port. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  on  the  afternoon  of  the  3d  of  March,  on 
the  same  day? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  which  side? 

A.  Starboard  side. 

Q.  Abreast  of  what  ? 

A.  Abreast  of  the  crane  and  wreckage,  a  little  forward  of  the 
wreckage. 

Q.  Abreast  of  the  conning  tower? 

A,  Abreast  of  the  conning  tower,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  drop  into? 

A.  I  dropped  into  a  lot  of  wreckage,  pieces  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Did  you  not  drop  into  the  mud  first? 

A.  Yes,  I  walked  toward  inboard  of  the  ship,  and  got  in  amongst  a  lot 
of  wreckage. 

Q.  How  did  you  find  the  ship's  side  at  this  place? 

A.  I  did  not  find  the  ship's  side  at  that  time,  because  I  got  fouled 
twice  and  got  pulled  up,  and  then  I  went  forward  and  aft  on  the  star- 
board side,  from  the  whaleboat,  and  dropped  down  into  the  mud  and 
walked  into  the  ship's  side,  and  followed  that  until  I  came  to  the  break. 

Q.  Which  side  were  you  on  then  ? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  break  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  A  good  way  forward.  I  could  not  say  how  many  feet.  I  came  to 
the  end  of  the  guide  line,  and  made  the  line  fast  to  the  piece  of  the 
keel  and  followed  the  ship's  side  until  I  came  to  the  break. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  the  break  as  you  found  it? 

A.  This  break  was  vertical,  and  with  ragged  edges.  I  climbed  up 
the  edge  until  I  got  to  where  it  went  off  in  the  corner,  where  the  lower 


228  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

edge  of  the  ram  plate  had  been  made  fast  to  it.  This  extended  2  or 
3  feet  in  that  direction.  The  corner  of  this  side  plate  was  nearly- 
doubled  over,  and  bent  outboard.  I  got  to  the  ram  plate  and  found 
lots  of  backing  there,  extending  out  5  or  6  feet,  and  the  bolts  were 
left  in  the  backing.  This  backing  was  all  pointed  outboard.  I  went 
up  to  the  upper  edge  of  the  ram  plate  and  followed  it  aft  for  some  dis- 
tance. I  could  not  say  how  many  feet.  My  hand  slipped  on  account 
of  not  having  a  guide  line.  I  went  back  to  the  same  break  and  came 
to  the  same  place,  and  slipped  again.  I  did  not  make  any  more 
attempts  that  day,  because  I  had  not  enough  guide  line. 

Q.  Can  you  locate  this  break  that  you  have  just  described  on  the 
starboard  side? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  could  not  locate  it  here.  When  I  found  this  break,  I 
gave  a  signal  on  the  line.  The  man  told  Mr.  Powelson  about  it.  He 
said,  when  I  came  up,  that  he  could  not  tell  where  the  break  was,  because 
the  bubbles  came  up  from  underneath  the  wreckage. 

Q.  When  you  slipped  down  the  second  time  did  you  slip  into  the 
mud? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  deep? 

A.  Above  my  waist. 

Q.  How  far,  about,  did  you  go  ? 

A.  I  fell  down  close  to  the  ship's  side  when  I  struck  the  mud. 

Q.  Did  you  find  pieces  of  plate  when  you  fell  down  into  the  mud? 

A.  Not  where  I  fell;  but  I  went  outboard  and  forward  toward  the 
break,  and  found  pieces  that  did  belong  to  the  ship. 

Q.  Were  they  curved  ? 

A.  They  were  curved. 

Q.  Which  way  was  the  concave  side? 

A.  I  believe  it  was  up. 

Q.  You  then  looked  for  your  guide  line? 

A.  I  did;  in  the  meantime  I  got  a  signal  to  get  up. 

Q.  Did  you  get  amongst  a  lot  of  coal  before  you  came  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  there  was  a  lot  outside  of  the  ship — a  good  way  out. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  a  good  way? 

A.  Ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the  ship's  side. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  March  the  4th? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Near  the  conning  tower,  as  in  the  morning? 

A.  As  in  the  morning. 

Q.  You  landed  in  the  mud;  and  then  what  did  you  do? 

A.  I  was  walking  in  the  mud  until  I  struck  the  ship's  side  again.  I 
went  over  and  examined  the  break  in  the  backing  better  than  I  did  the 
day  before.  I  went  up  the  same  way  and  followed  up  the  part  of  the 
ram  plate  aft.  I  first  struck  against  something  that  pointed  up  and 
forward.  I  was  first  trying  to  walk  on  top  of  the  ram  plate,  but  my 
helmet  struck  against  this,  so  I  had  to  walk  on  the  side  of  it  with  my 
hands  hanging  over  the  ship's  side.  I  went  aft  about  the  length  of  two 
plates,  I  should  say,  and  then  I  got  stuck.  I  could  not  go  any  further 
aft. 

Q.  Why? 

A.  Because  there  was  lots  of  wreckage  extending  over  the  ship's  side 
which  prevented  me 

Q.  Wreckage  under  the  water,  or  dropping  from  above? 

A.  From  above,  and  extending  over  the  ship's  side. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  plate  about  this  time — two  plates  riveted  together? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  229 

A.  Afterwards  I  found  these  two  plates. 

Q.  How  were  they  painted  ? 

A.  These  two  plates?    They  looked  to  be  a  red-colored  brown. 

Q.  Was  the  plate  curved  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  in  did  it  extend  in  the  ship's  side. 

A.  It  extended  a  couple  of  feet. 

Q.  Was  it  ragged  where  it  had  broken  off? 

A.  It  looked  as  if  it  had  been  carried  away;  as  if  something  heavy 
had  fallen  on  it. 

Q.  Was  this  plate  flush  with  the  top  of  the  backing? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  could  barely  lay  the  point  of  my  fingers  down  there. 

Q.  You  also  found  a  number  of  pieces  of  board  and  planking  at  this 
time,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  You  sent  up  a  pipe  for  examination  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  it? 

A.  I  found  it  made  fast  to  the  ship's  starboard  side — to  the  bottom 
plate.    I  broke  it  loose  and  sent  it  up. 

Q.  What  else  did  you  find  about  here? 

A.  I  examined  the  ram  plate  and  where  the  break  was,  and  found 
the  bottom  plate  of  the  ship  down  in  the  mud  standing  outboard.  I 
was  following  up  this  plate,  trying  to  find  the  armor  plate,  but  could 
not  get  to  the  end  of  it.  It  looked  to  be  rolled  over,  and  was  too  deep 
for  me  to  get  hold  of  it. 

Q.  This  was  the  plate  underneath  the  armor  plate? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Was  there  any  crockery  about  here? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  lots  of  crockery,  pieces  of  wash  stands,  clothes, 
and  a  10-inch  powder  tank.  I  sent  the  tank  up,  and  there  were  some 
power  bags  inside. 

Q.  You  sent  the  bag  up  also  ? 

A.  I  put  the  bag  in  my  pocket  and  brought  it  up  when  I  came. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  appear  before  the  court,  when  he  will 
be  furnished  with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and 
asked  to  withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  comple- 
tion of  which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an 
opportunity  to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct. 
The  request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly; 
whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not 
to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  trial. 

Gunner's  Mate  Schluter,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  then 
recalled  and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still 
under  oath  which  he  had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Since  you  gave  your  last  testimony  before  this  court  have  you 
been  engaged  in  any  diving  at  the  wreck  of  the  Maine? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  report  the  results  of  your  diving? 
A.  To  Mr.  Powelson. 

Q.  Were  your  reports  as  true  as  if  they  had  been  given  under  oath? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


230     DESTEUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  I  believe  you  were  down  on  the  forenoon  of  Tuesday,  March  2. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  where  you  went  down  ! 

A.  I  believe  that  was  the  day  I  was  down  after  some  powder  tanks. 

Q.  I  refer  to  the  time  you  went  down  on  the  port  side  forward  of  the 
break.  You  went  down  on  the  port  side  forward  of  the  break,  do  you 
remember? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  told  to  look  for  any  armor1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q,  What  did  you  find? 

A.  I  was  lowered  over  the  side  to  the  bottom  of  the  ladder  until  I 
struck  the  main  deck.  The  main  deck  sloped  over  toward  the  star- 
board side.  Then  I  crawled  right  out  straight  to  the  port  side  of  the 
sihip  and  put  my  hand  over  the  ship's  side  and  felt  the  plates  were 
bent  inboard  up  to  about  5  or  6  feet  along  the  ship's  side  and  the  water- 
ways. Then  I  crept  on  over  some  stanchions  going  aft  on  the  port 
side  and  kept  on  going  aft  until  I  struck  up  against  the  after  turret, 
and  was  crawling  along  when  I  made  out  two  distinct  plates  of  the 
ship's  side.  Both  were  bent  from  port  side  outboard.  I  was  going  to 
crawl  out  over  one  when  the  signal  was  made  for  me  to  come  up  on 
account  of  the  wrecking  tug  which  was  going  to  move  the  smokestack. 

Q.  Did  you  not  find  the  armor- plate,  to  which  you  attached  a  line"? 

A.  That  was  the  next  time  I  went  down,  sir. 

Q.  Whenever  you  did  find  that  armor-plate  to  which  you  attached  a 
line,  what  did  you  do?    Did  you  measure  this  plate  with  a  rule? 

A.  That  was  the  one  amidship,  which  stands  in  a  vertical  position; 
vertical  angle  on  its  end.  It  was  leaning  a  little  over  forward.  The 
lower  end  was  pointed  aft. 

Q.  The  thick  side  was  forward  or  aft? 

A.  The  thick  side  was  in  the  mud,  sir;  the  heavy  side.  I  believe  I 
found  6  inches  on  top. 

Q.  That  is  what  you  call  the  thick  armor  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  behind  this  plate? 

A.  A  wood  backing,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  inches  was  this  wood  backing? 

A.  About  9  inches,  I  think. 

Q.  Behind  that  what  did  you  find? 

A.  Three  and  a  halfinch  armor  plating. 

Q.  Was  there  any  bolt  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  there  was  bolts  sticking  out  2  or  3  inches,  and  I  felt  a 
soft  washer,  or  something.  That  is  all  I  could  feel  right  up  against  the 
armor  plate;  and  going  right  through  the  wood  and  armor. 

Q.  Was  this,  apparently,  athwartship  armor  or  fore  and  aft  armor? 

A.  Athwartship  armor.     I  found  the  ship's  side  armor  since. 

Q.  You  are  quite  sure  of  the  wood  backing  and  plate  backing? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  and  were  told  to 
examine  the  port  side  abaft  the  crane.     Do  you  remember? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  found  the  main  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  it  slope? 

A.  It  sloped  to  starboard,  sir. 

Q.  Was  the  outside  plate  bent? 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  231 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  outside  plate  was  bent  inboard,  about  the  length  of 
5  feet,  at  a  sharp  angle  with  the  waterways. 

Q.  You  then  crawled  aft? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  crawled  up  the  aft  turret  and  found  two  distinct 
breaks — that  is,  the  sheathing  was  bent  over  to  port  side,  outboard — and 
I  was  going  to  crawl  over  the  first  plate  when  I  got  the  signal  to 
come  up. 

Q.  You  crawled  aft  and  felt  over  the  edge,  did  you  not"? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  You  could  not  find  any  side  plating  attached  to  the  waterways  in 
places'? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  went  as  far  aft  as  the  after  turret? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  many  feet  forward  of  the  turret  is  broken  right  out — the 
plates? 

A.  Six  or  7  feet  forward  of  the  turret. 

Q.  What  side  was  this  on? 

A.  Port  side,  sir.     It  looked  as  if  it  had  been  blown  outboard. 

Q.  You  then  crawled  along  on  the  top  of  the  armor  forward  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  last  time  I  was  down  there. 

Q.  How  far  does  that  clear? 

A.  As  far  forward  as  the  crane. 

Q.  What  happened  there? 

A.  The  armor  appeared  to  be  broken  off,  and  2  feet  abaft  it  was  all 
clear.  The  inside  armor  backing  was  hanging  on  at  an  angle  from  port 
up,  and  over  to  starboard  at  the  top  of  the  armor  belt.  The  backing 
was  broken  off  from  the  armor  as  far  down  as  I  could  reach,  and  sloped 
inboard. 

Q.  Explain  what  you  mean  by  the  armor  being  broken  off. 

A.  By  broken  off  I  mean  that  it  looked  as  if  another  piece  had  been 
blown  right  away  from  it.     It  was  gone. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  In  your  answers  you  have  spoken  of  plates  attached  to  the  water- 
ways being  blown  in ;  also  some  being  blown  out.    What  do  you  mean? 

A.  I  mean  that  aft  it  was  blown  out  and  forward  it  was  blown  in. 

Q.  How  far  apart  were  these  places  ? 

A.  Ten  or  12  feet,  sir.  It  might  have  been  a  little  less— 8  or  9  feet. 
It  is  hard  to  judge  under  water  how  far  one  goes. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed 
to  report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished 
with  so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony  and  asked  to 
withdraw  for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  will  be  again  called  before  the  court  and  given  an  opportunity 
to  amend  his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  the  witness  instructed  accordingly;  where- 
upon he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss 
matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  12.45  p.  m.)  took  a  recess  until  2  o'clock. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  the 
stenographer,  Captain  Sigsbee,  and  Mr.  Wainwright. 


232  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Chief  Guimer's  Mate  Olsen,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  re- 
called, and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still 
under  oath  which  he  had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  on  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  your 
last  testimony  before  this  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  report  the  results  of  your  diving! 

A.  To  Mr.  Powelson,  of  the  Fern. 

Q.  When  you  made  these  reports  to  him  were  they  as  true  as  if  given 
under  oath? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  went  down  on  the  morning  of  March  1 — Tuesday1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  where  you  went  down ?  Was  it  not  at  the 
after  V-shaped  plate? 

A.  Yes;  I  went  down  at  the  after  V-shaped  plate. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  first  longitudinal? 

A.  The  first  longitudinal  I  found  about  20  feet  under  water,  and 
about  4  feet  abaft  of  the  second  longitudinal. 

Q.  Taking  frame  17  as  the  highest  frame  on  this  V,  where  do  you 
think  you  found  the  first  longitudinal1? 

A.  About  frame  23. 

Q.  For  how  many  frame  spaces  did  you  see? 

A.  About  two  frame  spaces. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  outer  skin  of  the  ship  between  the 
first  and  second  longitudinals? 

A.  Between  the  first  and  second  longitudinal  on  the  outer  skin  of  the 
ship  ? 

Q.  Yes ;  was  it  broken  ? 

A.  The  skin  of  the  ship  was  cracked  off. 

Q.  Did  you  follow  the  second  longitudinal  down? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  at  the  end? 

A.  I  followed  it  down  to  about  nine  frame  spaces.  I  found  a  plate 
on  which  this  longitudinal  was  attached  bent  underneath  the  keel  on 
the  afterpart  of  the  V. 

Q.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  longitudinal  at  the  end? 

A.  Broken  off  and  ragged. 

Q.  When  you  went  to  plate  B,  what  was  the  color  of  plate  B;  plate 
plate  B  being  the  forward  one  inside  the  V? 

A.  Green  inside  the  V — Mclnniss's  paint. 

Q.  Did  you  folloAv  the  green  plate  along  to  the  flat  keel? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  How  does  the  keel  go  from  there? 

A.  I  followed  the  greeu  paint  along  the  ship's  bottom  until  I  found 
the  flat  part  of  the  keel.  J>  extended  down  and  over  to  port,  up  and 
over  to  starboard,  at  an  angle,  I  should  judge,  of  about  00  degrees 
from  the  bottom  of  the  mud  itself. 

Q.  Which  makes  the  angle  of  00  degrees,  the  one  going  forward  or 
the  one  going  aft? 

A.  The  angle  between  the  keel  and  the  mud  is  about  00  degrees. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  forward  part  of  the  ship  and  the  keel  sloping 
downward? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  233 

Q.  About  how  many  degrees ! 

A.  It  seemed  to  me  that  this  part  of  the  ship  is  lying  on  the  star- 
board side — the  starboard  side  on  the  mud,  the  port  side  up,  and  the 
keel  to  port. 

Q.  Does  not  her  ram  seem  lower  than  her  after  part! 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  does. 

Q.  What  inclination  does  her  keel  seem  to  be  to  horizontal1? 

A.  Sixty  degrees  from  the  bottom. 

Q.  Abaft  both  of  these  V-shaped  plates,  how  does  the  keel  lay? 

A.  A  little  farther  to  starboard  and  amidships  I  found  the  continua- 
tion of  the  keel  and  broken  part.  The  inside  angle  irons  standing  up 
and  the  inside  and  outside  keel  plates  broken  off  for  the  space  of  about 
3  feet  from  the  bottom  angle  irons  and  vertical  keel,  and  sloping  down. 

Q.  What  direction  does  the  keel  take  then,  aft? 

A.  Almost  vertical,  going  down. 

Q.  About  how  long  a  space  do  you  think  it  goes  vertical? 

A.  About  20  feet,  I  should  judge. 

Q.  Then  what  does  it  do? 

A.  It  runs  aft  parallel  to  the  bottom. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  break  is  on  the  bottom ;  that  is,  that  part  that 
stands  vertical  and  the  part  that  stands  horizontal? 

A.  A  regular  bending.     It  bends  forward  and  then  it  bends  aft. 

Q.  About  how  far  forward  does  it  bend  ? 

A.  About  2  feet. 

Q.  Eeferring  to  this  part  of  the  keel  which  stands  vertical,  how  much 
plate  is  attached  to  that  part  of  the  keel  which  stands  vertical? 

A.  The  bottom  plate  of  that  part  of  the  keel  extends  4  or  5  feet  on 
each  side  of  the  keel.    Some  places  along  these  I  slipped. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  on  the  forenoon  of  March  3,  which  was 
Thursday,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir:  I  did. 

Q.  Did  you  have  orders  to  find  the  top  part  of  the  keel? 

A.  Which  top  part  of  the  keel  do  you  mean? 

Q.  The  inside  of  the  keel. 

A.  I  was  told  to  locate  the  keel  outside,  if  I  possibly  could. 

Q.  How  far  did  you  get  down  this  time? 

A.  I  went  down  over  the  break  and  followed  the  vertical  part  down 
to  where  it  bends  aft  again.  Afterwards  I  located  some  manholes  with 
high  combings  around  it.  I  located  two  right  at  the  break  where  the 
keel  goes  aft  on  the  vertical  part,  and  two  farther  aft. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  lightening  hole  the  first  frame  forward  of  the 
break  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  this  hole? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  measure  in  both  cases? 

A.  Twelve  by  21  inches. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  manhole  in  the  inner  skin  just  forward  of  the 
break? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  that? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  the  measurements? 

A.  Fifteen  by  22  inches. 

Q.  You  found  a  four- way  pipe? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


234     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  Alongside  the  vertical  keel  forward  of  the  break.  The  smaller 
part  of  the  pipe  going  through  the  inner  skin  of  the  double  bottom. 
This  pipe  was  3  inches  in  diameter,  inside  diameter  of  the  pipe,  and 
then  there  was  a  curved  pipe  going  through  the  vertical  keel.  This 
was  a  4-inch  pipe. 

Q.  Did  you  take  measurements  of  the  vertical  keel  at  this  time? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  large? 

A.  Thirty-six  inches  between  the  inner  and  outer  skin  of  the  double 
bottom. 

Q.  You  found  several  other  manholes,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  They  all  had  high  combings? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  high  would  you  say  these  combings  were? 

A.  About  3  inches. 

Q.  Now,  along  the  flat  part  of  the  keel,  which  is  abaft  the  vertical 
part,  did  you  find  the  inner  bottom  corrugated? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  In  what  way?    Describe  the  appearance  of  the  keel. 

A.  It  was  corrugated  right  over  the  keel.  I  am  sure  it  was  the 
inner  bottom.  The  corrugations  ran  fore  and  aft.  The  inside  skin  of 
these  plates  of  the  keel  were  bent  downward.  The  vertical  keel  stands 
up  and  the  inside  skin  alongside  of  it  slopes  downward  on  both  sides 
of  the  keel. 

Q.  In  accounting  for  the  depression  of  the  bottom  on  both  sides  of 
the  keel,  did  you  think  that  the  bottom  had  been  knocked  down  or  the 
keel  been  shoved  up? 

A.  It  may  have  been  from  the  keel  being  shoved  up,  or  the  inner 
plate  being  shoved  down;  I  could  not  tell  which. 

By  the  Court: 
Q.  Was  there  any  keel  in  the  bottom  at  this  place? 
A.  No,  sir.    That  part  of  the  bottom  seemed  all  right.     I  could  not 
go  further  on  account  of  the  wreckage. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  At  that  place,  how  much  bottom  was  there  on  each  side  of  the 
keel,  as  far  as  you  could  tell? 

A.  I  could  feel  about'  6  feet  on  each  side.  It  might  have  gone 
farther,  but  I  could  not  tell. 

Q.  Do  you  know  what  frame  you  were  at? 

A.  I  must  have  gone  abaft  of  frame  24. 

Q.  Did  you  find  some  6-pounder  ammunition? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  keel? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side  of  the  keel. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  C-inch  shell  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  keel? 

A.  On  the  starboard  side  of  the  keel? 

Q.  Did  you  send  the  shell  up  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  On  the  next  forenoon  you  went  down  again.  From  the  break  in 
the  vertical  keel,  which  way  did  you  go? 

A.  I  went  down  the  vertical  keel;  followed  the  flat  part  of  the  keel 
aft  and  worked  my  way  over  to  starboard. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  235 

Q.  What  did  you  find  then? 

A.  I  worked  my  way  over  to  starboard,  and  continuing  in  that  direc- 
tion I  found  a  light  box. 

Q.  Before  you  found  this  light  box  did  you  not  get  amoug  a  lot  of 
6-inch  shell? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  far  were  these  shell  from  the  keel  ? 

A.  It  must  have  been  about  10  or  12  feet  on  the  starboard  side. 

Q.  Are  you  sure  they  were  6-inch  shell? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  powder  tank  the  same  place? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Describe  the  tank;  6-inch  or  10-inch? 

A.  I  can  uot  recollect. 

Q.  Did  you  send  it  up  ? 

A.  I  sent  one  6-inch  drill  tank  up. 

Q.  Did  you  then  work  your  way  over  to  starboard? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  find? 

A.  A  light  box. 

Q.  Where  was  that  light  box  made  fast? 

A.  It  was  made  fast  in  the  proper  light  box  in  which  the  lamps  go. 
I  lifted  up  the  cover  of  the  light  box  proper. 

Q.  Was  this  light  box  in  the  bulkhead? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  between  the  coal  bunker  and  what  I  think  was  formerly 
the  10-inch  magazine. 

Q.  How  do  you  know? 

A.  The  10-inch  magazine  light  only  shows  one  light  in  the  drawings, 
which  shows  that  this  is  the  only  place  where  there  was  only  one  light. 

Q.  What  was  the  general  direction  of  the  bulkhead  that  you  found 
this  light  box  in? 

A.  It  was  flat  and  lying  down. 

Q.  Which  way  was  it  bent  down  ? 

A.  It  was  lying  flat  parallel  with  the  bottom. 

Q.  Had  it  been  bent  to  starboard  or  to  port? 

A.  Over  to  starboard. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  the  end  of  this  bulkhead? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  find? 

A.  I  followed  the  continuation  of  this  bulkhead  down  about  10  feet, 
and  underneath  it  I  crawled  into  the  double  bottom. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  rungs  of  an  iron  ladder  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  underneath  the  deadlight  in  the  bulkhead. 

Q.  You  then  went  into  the  10-inch  magazine  as  you  suppose? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  find  10-inch  tanks  there? 

A.  I  found  some  6-inch  shells  in  the  space;  some  of  them  had  slings 
on  them  and  wooden  nose  pieces;  they  were  in  good  condition.  Dig- 
ging underneath  these  shells  I  located  some  tanks. 

Q.  What  kind  of  tanks? 

A.  I  should  judge  them  to  be  10-inch  tanks. 

Q.  Were  they  in  good  condition? 

A.  I  could  not  tell.  I  could  only  feel  them  on  account  of  the  shell 
being  on  top  of  them,  but  they  showed  that  they  were  tanks  by  their 
shape. 

Q.  Did  you  find  in  your  dive  any  cutlass  or  scabbard? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  a  scabbard. 


236     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  I  found  one  on  this  plate,  going  from  the  light  box  down  about  J  0 
feet  and  in  the  double  bottom,  a  scabbard  and  gas  check  disks  in  pads, 
which  I  sent  up. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  paymaster's  stores  on  top  of  the  tanks  you  were 
just  speaking  about1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  canned  goods,  some  low-cut  paymaster's  shoes. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  piece  of  wooden  grating  from  the  floor  of  the  mag- 
azine? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did.     I  sent  it  up. 

Q.  Had  it  been  burned? 

A.  I  could  not  tell.     Mr.  Powelson  looked  at  it  after  it  came  up. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  Saturday? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go? 

A.  I  went  aft,  trying  to  locate  the  armor  plate. 

Q.  Did  you  find  anything  that  looked  to  you  like  a  boiler? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  looked  to  me  like  a  boiler,  but  I  did  not  stay  down 
there  long  enough  to  get  a  good  look  at  it.     It  was  very  dark. 

Q.  Was  it  very  much  out  of  shape? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  then  walked  over  to  starboard,  I  believe,  after  walking  aft, 
and  found  a  plate. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  please  describe  this  plate  that  you  found? 

A.  I  found  a  plate  with  angle  iron —  V-iron.  These  irons  were  about 
12  inches  apart,  forming  a  regular  square  in  two  rows. 

Q.  What  direction  was  this  plate  standing  in? 

A.  Up  and  over  to  starboard,  standing  at  an  angle  up  and  leaning 
to  starboard. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  cellulose? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  the  cellulose  compartment. 

Q.  Where  were  you  then? 

A.  I  must  have  been  at  the  midship  line  of  the  ship  on  the  port 
side  aft. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  midship  line  of  the  ship?  About  the  place 
of  the  crane? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  about  somewhere  in  that  line. 

Q.  Are  you  sure  this  was  cellulose? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  took  it  out  in  my  hand  and  looked  at  it.  It  was 
packed  in  the  compartment. 

Q.  What  was  the  size  of  the  compartment  and  the  shape  of  the  com- 
partment that  the  cellulose  was  in? 

A.  I  could  feel  the  outside  and  inside  skin  of  this  compartment.  It 
must  have  been  3  or  4  feet  wide  from  the  inside  to  the  outside. 
It  might  have  been  larger  or  smaller — 4  feet  I  judge  it  to  be. 
It  was  standing  up  and  pointed,  one  pointing  aft  about  the  port 
quarter  and  the  other  pointing  forward  to  the  starboard  bow.  It  was 
way  abaft.  I  know  exactly  where  24  frame  is ;  it  is  20  or  30  feet  abaft 
frame  24. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Do  you  know  where  the  forward  end  of  the  belt  is — the  armor 
belt? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  frame  is  that? 

A.  About  frame  30. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     237 

By  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Did  you  after  this  lift  up  a  couple  of  plates  and  throw  them  aside? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  were  they  ! 

A.  They  were  below  this  portion  described — below  and  forward  of  the 
cellulose  compartment.  I  picked  up  a  6-inch  powder  tank.  This  tank 
was  full  of  powder,  the  bottom  and  head  of  the  tank  being  on  the  tank. 

Q.  Did  you  send  this  tank  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  lot  of  other  broken  tanks  about  here? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  a  lot  of  them  split  in  the  seam.  On  the  head  of  this 
tank  I  sent  up  there  was  a  lot  of  black  mud.  We  dried  it  and  found  it 
was  powder.  Where  all  the  broken  tanks  were  I  could  pick  up  a  lot  of 
this  mud.  I  found  that  mad  in  several  places  around  that  place,  and  I 
think  it  is  all  powder.  I  can  tell  the  difference  between  these  and  the 
mud  which  is  outside  the  bottom  of  the  ship.  This  is  very  black,  and 
the  mud  on  the  outside  turns  a  greenish  color  when  you  stir  it  up. 

Q.  What  made  you  think  it  was  powder,  only  the  color  of  it? 

A.  I  tried  to  burn  some,  and  it  burned  all  right. 

Q.  Who  made  this  experiment? 

A.  Chief  gunner's  mate  of  the  New  York,  Fisher. 

Q.  You  were  there  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  say  there  is  plenty  of  this  black  mud  around  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  especially  where  the  broken  tanks  are  you  will  find 
some  of  that  mud  all  around.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the  tanks  in  this 
place  had  been  spilled  all  around. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  this  morning  in  the  way  of  diving? 

A.  I  went  down,  took  a  lead  line  down  plunib  in  line  with  the  ship. 
I  came  up  again ;  I  made  a  line  fast  at  the  broken  part  of  the  keel,  and 
then  I  went  down  again,  and  was  towed  outside,  clear  of  the  ship,  and 
was  told  to  go  down  and  see  if  I  could  find  any  coal.  I  went  aft  until 
I  came  to  the  break  where  the  armor  ends,  and  could  not  find  any  sign 
of  coal  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  How  far  away  from  the  ship  did  you  walk  when  you  were  looking 
for  coal? 

A.  I  must  have  walked  about  20  feet  out — and  I  walked  in  a  zigzag 
out  and  in,  20  feet  clear — and  back  again  to  where  the  armor  ends. 

Q.  How  far  forward  did  you  commence  the  search? 

A.  I  started  forward,  about  at  the  ram,  a  little  further  out,  and  as 
far  forward  as  the  ram. 

Q.  When  you  put  your  lead  down  had  you  found  the  ram  itself? 

A.  The  end  of  the  ram ;  that  is,  the  bow  of  the  ship  itself,  was  down 
in  the  mud.  I  should  judge  the  place  was  about  6  feet  from  the  bow, 
that  part  of  the  keel  and  the  ram  being  about  6  feet  apart,  and  the 
flat  part  of  the  keel  sloping  forward  at  this  point.  The  ram  itself  1 
should  judge  to  be  about  G  feet. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  ram  plates? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  were  well  forward  of  the  afterend  of  the  ram  plates? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  could  not  feel  the  afterpart  of  the  ram  plate.  It 
extends  underneath  the  side. 

Q.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  ship's  side  under  the  after  one  of  the 
two  V-shaped  plates? 

A.  Going  down  about  half-way  down,  on  the  after  end  of  B,  and  then 
getting  onto  the  ship's  bottom  properly,  I  found  two  dents  extending 
between  two  frames  and  bulged  into  the  ship's  bottom  itself. 


238     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Are  these  two  dents  in  a  horizontal  line  1 

A.  They  are  in  a  parallel  line  to  the  keel. 

Q.  How  deep  should  you  say  they  were? 

A.  About  3  or  4  inches  deep. 

Q.  And  about  what  is  their  diameter? 

A.  About  4  feet  in  diameter. 

Q.  Is  there  a  frame  between  the  two  dents? 

A.  It  looks  so  from  the  outside. 

The  judge-advocate  requested  that  the  testimony  given  by  the  wit- 
ness be  not  read  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  but  that  he  be  directed  to 
report  to-morrow  morning  at  10  o'clock,  when  he  will  be  furnished  with 
so  much  of  the  record  as  contains  his  testimony,  and  asked  to  withdraw 
for  the  consideration  of  the  same,  upon  the  completion  of  which  he  will 
be  again  called  before  the  court  and  be  given  an  opportunity  to  ameud 
his  testimony  as  recorded  or  pronounce  it  correct.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  the  witness  was  instructed  accordingly;  whereupon  he 
withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Naval  Cadet  Cluverius,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  recalled 
and  warned  by  the  president  that  he  was  still  under  the  oath  that  he 
had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Were  you  the  mate  of  the  berth  deck  of  the  Maine  at  the  time  of 
her  destruction  ? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  What  were  your  duties  as  regards  the  securing  of  the  ship  for 
the  night? 

A.  The  duties  I  had  in  securing  the  ship  for  the  night  were  to  instruct 
the  persons  in  charge  of  such  departments  as  by  the  ship  regulations 
were  to  be  closed  at  sunset  that  these  departments  were  to  be  closed, 
and  that  the  tag  keys  placed  upon  the  keyboard,  which  was  at  the  for- 
ward part  of  the  engine  room  hatch  in  compartment  C100,  were  placed 
there. 

Q.  What  part  of  this  duty  did  you  do  that  night? 

A.  I  was  on  watch  from  4  until  8,  and  did  not  personally  instruct  the 
men  in  charge  of  these  compartments,  but  had  warned  them  the  night 
before,  and  I  remember  that  they  had  all  been  turned  in  the  night 
before,  and  on  the  night  of  February  15  I  am  almost  positive  that 
these  men  reported  to  me  that  their  compartments  were  closed  while  I 
was  officer  of  the  deck. 

Q.  Did  you  look  at  the  keyboard  that  night? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  when  I  was  relieved  for  my  dinner,  in  passing  the  key- 
board I  glanced  at  it  and  remember  seeing  the  numbers  solid. 

Q.  Were  the  regular  8  p.  m.  reports  made  to  you  that  night? 

A.  They  were,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  consider  Seaman  Neilson,  temporarily  in  charge  of  the 
hold,  a  reliable  man? 

A.  I  did,  sir. 

Q.  Had  the  magazines  or  shell  rooms  or  any  of  them  been  open 
during  your  tour  of  duty,  the  dog  watches  that  day? 

A.  To  my  knowledge  they  had  not,  sir. 

Q.  Had  any  of  them  been  reported  to  you  as  open  when  you  took 
the  deck? 

A.  Thev  had  not. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  239 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer,  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect; whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  3.30  p.  m.)  adjourned  until  to-morrow  Tuesday, 
March  8,  1898.  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


TWELFTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  10  a.  m.,  Tuesday,  March  8, 1898. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 
The  proceedings  of  yesterday  were  then  read  over  and  approved. 

Gunner's  Mate  T.  Smith,  IT.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  then 
recalled,  and  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still 
under  the  oath  he  had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  at  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  your 
last  testimony  was  given  before  this  court  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  To  whom  did  you  report  the  results  of  your  searches  % 

A.  Ensign  Powelson. 

Q.  When  you  made  these  reports  were  they  as  truthful  as  if  you  had 
been  under  oath1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  going  down  on  Monday  morning,  February  28? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  down? 

A.  I  went  down  along  the  after  wing  which  forms  the  V. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  first  longitudinal? 

A.  The  first  longitudinal;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  bottom  plate? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Q.  What  was  its  condition? 

A.  Condition,  it  was  good. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  bottom  plate  broken  with  the  edges  pushed  in? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  The  lower  edges  of  the  wing,  and  all  around  the  edges  of  it  was 
broken  and  jagged. 

Q.  Was  it  pushed  in  from  the  green  paint? 

A.  It  comes  closer  to  the  forward  part  of  where  it  forms  the  V  as 
you  go  down  deep,  and  it  has  a  sort  of  corrugated  shape  to  it. 

Q.  You  went  down' again  on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  did  you 
not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  were  sent  down,  I  believe,  to  look  for  a  circular  hole.  Do  you 
remember? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  what  I  was  sent  down  for. 


240  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  Where  did  you  locate  it? 

A.  Between  the  sixth  and  seventh  frame,  and  from  the  water's  edge 
down. 

Q.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  hole? 

A.  It  was  a  circular  hole,  sir,  like  one  that  had  been  there.  There 
was  just  half  of  it  there  with  the  rivet  holes. 

By  the  Court: 
Q.  The  rivet  holes  were  in  a  straight  line? 
A.  No,  sir;  in  a  circular  line. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  number  of  6-pound  shell  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  there  cartridges  on  them? 

A.  Just  the  shell,  sir. 

Q.  On  the  morning  of  March  2,  which  is  Wednesday  morning,  you 
went  down  again,  I  believe? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  your  purpose  in  going  down  that  time;  do  you 
remember? 

A.  I  remember  it  was  to  find  where  the  break  of  the  vertical  keel  was. 

Q.  Did  you  take  anything  with  you  for  measurements? 

A.  A  2-foot  rule,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  thickness  of  the  vertical  keel  as  you  found  it? 

A.  About  5£  inches,  sir,  on  the  flange. 

Q.  You  found  a  four-way  pipe,  did  you  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  the  distance  from  the  vertical-keel  break  to  the 
next  frame  forward  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  this  measurement  was? 

A.  Thirty-six  inches,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  width  of  the  inner  keel  plate? 

A.  The  inner  keel  plate  was  37  inches. 

Q.  You  went  down  again  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  dav,  did  you 
not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  looked  then  for  the  keel  and  found  the  vertical  part,  did  you 
not  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir.    The  horizontal  part  abaft  the  part  which  is  now  vertical, 

Q.  Abaft  the  vertical  part  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  ? 

A.  I  found  the  vertical  keel  lying  in  a  horizontal  position. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  10-inch  shell  there? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  else? 

A.  A  powder  tank. 

Q.  What  else? 

A.  A  bunch  of  knapsacks.     I  sent  them  up  from  below. 

Q.  Did  you  find  a  swab  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  a  big  magazine  swab. 

Q.  Was  it  burnt? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  not. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  bend  has  the  keel  where  it  goes  to  the  horizontal 
again? 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     241 

A.  It  forms  a  sort  of  a  V  in  there  with  the  two  angle  irons  that  are 
bolted  to  the  vertical  keel,  and  also  bolted  to  the  skin  of  the  double 
bottom,  which  is  broken  right  in  the  corner  where  it  forms  the  V. 

Q.  Do  I  understand  that  the  keel  first  bends  forward  and  then  goes 
aft? 

A.  It  first  goes  forward  and  then  goes  aft. 

Q.  What  is  the  distance,  do  you  think,  that  it  goes  forward? 

A.  Thirty-six  inches,  sir. 

Q.  You  then  went  down  the  keel  into  the  mud? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  went  off  to  the  bottom  of  the  plate. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  there  in  the  mud  where  the  flat  keel  goes  into 
the  mud? 

A.  I  do  not  remember  what  I  found  there. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  finding  a  hole  in  the  mud  ? 

A.  Yes,  but  in  a  different  place,  sir.  It  is  by  the  bow  where  I  found 
the  hole. 

Q.  Now  tell  us  exactly  where  you  found  that  hole. 

A.  I  followed  the  forward  part  of  the  wing  that  forms  the  V  down 
until  I  came  to  the  mud.  I  took  a  couple  of  steps  aft  and  felt  the 
vertical  keel  again,  and  followed  it  down  until  I  came  to  the  mud;  then 
I  was  standing  up  straight  until  I  could  take  my  two  hands  so  [wit- 
ness illustrated  by  extending  his  arms  horizontally],  out  that  way,  and 
feel  the  mud  all  around. 

Q.  How  deep  was  this  hole,  do  you  think  ? 

A.  I  should  judge  7  feet. 

Q.  How  wide  was  it — the  diameter,  I  mean  ? 

A.  About  the  same,  sir. 

Q.  Was  the  bottom  of  the  hole  hard  at  this  place? 

A.  The  mud  was  a  little  harder  than  the  other  mud.  You  would  not 
sink  over  18  inches  in  that  mud. 

Q.  Can  you  locate  this  hole? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  By  the  frames,  where  was  it?  Locate  it  with  the  two  V-shaped 
plates.    Was  it  forward  of  the  after  V-shaped  plate? 

A.  The  hole  was  about  under  the  forward  V-shaped  plate.  The 
largest  part  of  the  hole  is  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship.  The  keel  can 
not  be  felt  from  the  hole,  and  it  seemed  to  be  under  the  forward  part  of 
the  forward  V-shaped  plate. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  in  this  hole? 

A.  I  found  a  tin  I  should  judge  to  be  about  20  inches  long  and  10 
inches  square.  It  looked  like  a  can  made  up  in  a  square,  and  20  inches 
long.  There  was  a  place  where  a  big  square  hole  had  been  with  a 
gasket.    I  sent  it  up  to  Mr.  Powelson. 

Q.  Were  you  down  yesterday  afternoon? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  to  the  court  what  you  found. 

A.  I  was  landed  on  top  of  the  boiler — the  forward  boiler  on  the  port 
side.  What  I  found  of  it  seemed  to  be  in  good  condition.  Between 
that  boiler  and  the  forward  athwartship  bulkhead  I  found  two  10-inch 
shells  and  a  6-inch  powder  tank,  and  also  a  large  copper  pipe,  about  4 
inches  in  diameter.    That  is  all  I  haye  to  say  about  that  for  the  present. 

Q.  Where  was  this  bulkhead,  in  regard  to  the  boiler? 

A.  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  between  that  boiler  and  some  other  boiler. 

Q.  Was  it  forward  of  the  boiler  or  abaft  the  boiler? 

A.  It  was  abaft  the  boiler. 

Q.  Did  you  send  the  10-inch  tank  up? 
S.  Doc.  207 16 


242  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not. 

Q.  What  was  its  condition? 

A.  It  was  split  in  the  seam,  the  same  as  the  rest. 

Q.  Nothing  in  it? 

A.  Excelsior. 

Q.  You  have  no  other  report  to  make  of  yesterday's  diving,  have 
you? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  was  hauled  up  at  that  time. 

Q.  What  is  fast  to  the  keel  which  now  stands  up  and  down? 

A.  The  vertical  keel.  On  the  starboard  side  there  is  the  inner  skin 
of  the  double  bottom  made  fast  to  it,  and  on  the  port  side  part  of  the 
way  it  is  torn  off". 

Q.  Torn  off  altogether? 

A.  In  some  places  on  the  port  side  it  is  torn  off  altogether. 

Q.  What  appearance  does  it  make  next  to  the  keel;  which  way  does 
it  bulge? 

A.  From  the  present  position  of  the  keel  it  bulges  aft. 

Q.  Were  the  keel  horizontal  would  it  bulge  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  All  this  is  the  inner  bottom  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  that  part  of  the  keel  in  the  inner  bend  where  the  inner  bottom 
is  torn  from  the  keel,  can  you  tell  us  anything  of  the  condition  of  the 
outer  bottom? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  can  not.  I  would  have  to  walk  around  there  and  find 
that  out  to  see  what  condition  it  is  in. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  he  was  directed 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  appear  before  the  court  whenever  he  had 
further  testimony  to  give;  whereupon,  after  being  cautioned  by  the 
president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  was  then  cleared  (at  11.40  a.  m.)  for  further  discussion. 

The  doors  being  opened,  the  court  at  12.30  took  a  recess  until  2  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 

Naval  Constructor  J.  B.  Hoover  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Please  state  your  name,  rank,  and  station. 

A.  John  B.  Hoover,  naval  constructor,  United  States  Navy. 

Q.  Were  you  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  assist  this 
court  of  inquiry  in  their  work? 

A.  I  was. 

Q.  Have  you  visited  the  wreck  of  the  Maine,  and  examined  such 
portions  as  are  above  water? 

A.  I  have. 

Q.  Do  you  recollect  the  three  portions  of  wreck  which  are  in  a  fore- 
and-aft  line  some  distance  forward  of  the  middle  superstructure? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Can  you  identify  the  after  one  of  these  three  of  this  wreckage? 

A.  I  can.  It  is  a  portion  of  the  ship  from  frame  17  showing  a  por- 
tion of  the  second  longitudinal,  and  main  frame  17,  and  the  outside 


DESTKUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  243 

platings  doubled — thrown  up  and  doubled  to  starboard.  Bottom  plat- 
ings thrown  up  and  doubled  back. 

Q.  What  is  the  direction  of  frame  17  with  regard  to  the  fore-and-aft 
line  of  the  ship  at  she  now  lies? 

A.  Frame  17  f  In  relation  to  the  fore-and-aft  line  of  the  ship  ?  Well, 
it  is  canted.    The  port  frame  is  come  up  and  gone  over  to  starboard. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  center  line  of  the  ship  does  the  doubling  in  the 
plate  occur? 

A.  I  can  not  say. 

Q.  The  frame  17  which  appears  above  water,  you  say,  how  near  was 
that  to  the  vertical  keel  when  in  its  normal  state? 

A.  About  5  feet  from  the  middle  line  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  the  distance  of  frame  17  from  some  part  of  the 
ship  which  is  in  its  normal  position? 

A.  Yes.  I  measured  the  distance  from  the  after  funnel,  which  is  at 
frame  43,  and  which  is  about 93  feet  G  inches;  that  is,  to  the  after  object 
seen. 

Q.  What  would  have  been  that  distance  had  the  ship  been  in  its 
original  shape  from  frame  43  to  frame  17? 

A.  It  would  be  103  feet  and  one-half. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  the  next  object  forward  of  this  one?  What  is 
that? 

A.  That  is  a  portion  of  the  protective  deck  abreast  of  the  chain 
locker. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  protective  deck  ? 

A.  The  port  side. 

Q.  Did  you  measure  that  from  the  same  normal  part  of  the  ship  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance? 

A.  109  feet  6  inches. 

Q.  What  would  that  distance  have  been  with  the  ship  in  its  normal 
condition  ? 

A.  That  was  opposite  the  chain  lockers.  It  ought  to  be  just  the 
same,  103  feet  6  inches. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  the  the  third  piece  of  wreckage  forward  of  the 
second  ? 

A.  I  did. 

Q.  What  did  you  identify  that  to  be? 

A.  As  a  portion  of  the  berth  deck,  but  broken  off  at  frame  19  with 
the  part  of  the  cellulose  compartment  bulkhead  attached  to  it,  and 
showing  one  scupper  hole,  going  up  from  frame  19  and  taking  in  frames 
18  and  17. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  berth  deck  was  this? 

A.  That  was  on  the  port  side,  and  it  was  twisted  right  around  to 
starboard  looking  forward. 

Q.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  same  normal  point  in  the  ship? 

A.  That  would  be  130  feet. 

Q.  Then,  according  to  your  statement,  the  lower  portion  of  the  ship 
near  the  keel,  at  frame  17,  was  thrown  up  and  abaft  the  same  portion 
of  the  ship  at  a  higher  deck. 

A.  Thrown  up  and  abaft  the  same  portion  of  the  ship  at  the  berth 
deck  and  at  the  protective  deck. 

Q.  The  part  of  the  protective  deck  was  thrown  up  between  the  lower 
portion  and  the  berth  deck  portion,  was  it  not? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  the  line  of  keel  which  these  three  pieces  of 


244  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

wreckage  show  you  and  compare  it  with  the  line  of  keel  in  the  after 
part  of  the  ship! 

A.  I  did  in  this  way  only — by  sighting  through  as  near  as  I  could  see. 

Q.  Did  you  find  that  this  line  of  keel  in  the  wreck  is  in  line  with  the 
after  keel  line  of  the  ship? 

A.  They  are  on  the  port  side  of  the  original  keel. 

Q.  How  much? 

A.  In  the  neighborhood  of  4  to  5  feet,  but  they  are  canted  to  star- 
board. 

Q.  Were  you  able  to  see  anything  below  water  at  these  three  pieces 
of  wreckage? 

A.  Nothing  that  I  could  recognize. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  According  to  your  statement,  these  three  pieces  of  wreckage — the 
bottom  of  the  ship,  the  protective  deck,  and  the  berth  deck — all  three 
of  which  show  above  the  water  at  present,  and  all  coining  from  points 
which  were  nearly  in  the  same  vertical  plane:  Now,  then,  the  piece  of 
the  berth  deck,  forward  portion  of  the  three,  which  is  now  forward  of 
the  other  two. 

A.  The  protective  deck  comes  next  and  the  bottom  comes  last. 
Then  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  as  it  now  stands,  has  been  turned  nearly 
90  degrees — revolved  nearly  90  degrees. 

Q.  The  protective  deck  has  been  revolved  how  much? 

A.  About  the  same. 

Q.  And  the  berth  deck? 

A.  The  berth  deck,  I  think,  a  little  more  than  the  others.  It  seems 
to  be  twisted  more. 

Q.  With  these  three  decks,  one  above  the  other,  the  upper  one  has 
gone  forward  and  been  turned  through  an  angle  of  90  degrees? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  all  these  pieces  that  show  above  water  belong  to  the  port 
side  on  the  port  side  of  the  keel? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Except  the  protective  deck?    Is  that  on  the  port  side? 

A.  The  protective  deck  is  on  the  port  side  also,  but  not  all  of  it. 

Q.  Yes,  but  what  there  is  on  it  came  from  the  port  side? 

A.  I  did  not  mean  that,  exactly. 

Q.  What  position  does  the  forward  G-inch  magazine  occupy  with 
reference  to  this  portion  of  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  the  protective  deck, 
and  the  berth  deck  which  have  been  displaced  as  described? 

A.  The  forward  part  of  the  6-inch  magazine  is  just  below  the  three 
pieces  of  deck  as  they  originally  were.  The  forward  6-inch  magazine 
begins  at  frame  18.  The  wreckage  goes  from  17  to  19.  18  is  a  water-tight 
bulkhead.  The  magazine  goes  from  18  to  21.  There  are  two  maga- 
zines there.     In  18  to  21  is  the  forward  magazine. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  directed 
to  appear  to  morrow,  to  read  his  testimony,  at  10  a.  in.;  and  after  being 
warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  regarding  the 
inquiry  he  withdrew. 

Carpenter  Helm,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  recalled  and 
warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still  under  oath  which 
he  had  taken. 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Since  you  have  given  your  last  testimony  before  this  court  have 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  245 

you  made  an  examination  of  that  portion  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine 
which  is  above  the  water? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  yon  remember  the  three  portions  of  wreckage  which  appeared 
in  a  normal  fore-and-aft  line  some  distance  forward  of  the  middle  super- 
structure? 

A.  Tes,  sir. 

Q.  Can  you  identify  the  after  one  of  these  three  pieces  of  wreckage1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  a  piece  of  outside  plating  with  second  longitudinal, 
frame  17  and  frame  18. 

Q.  How  near  the  keel  is  that  portion  of  frame  17  which  you  see  above 
the  water? 

A.  About  10  feet. 

Q.  Can  you  identify  the  second  piece  of  wreckage — the  one  forward 
of  this? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  the  protective  deck,  in  wake  of  the  sheet-chain 
locker,  on  the  port  side.  The  highest  point  is  frame  18,  being  below 
frame  17,  and  frame  16  just  under  the  water. 

Q.  Are  these  three  frames  18,  17,  and  16  in  a  vertical  line? 

A.  Well,  they  are  at  about  an  angle  of  nearly  about  60  degrees. 

Q.  Is  the  upper  frame  forward  or  aft? 

A.  The  upper  frame  is  forward. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  upper  frame? 

A.  Eighteen  is  the  highest  one. 

Q.  What  is  the  third  and  forward  piece  of  wreckage? 

A.  That  is  part  of  the  first  deck  bulkhead  which  helped  to  form  the 
cellulose  compartment.  The  highest  point  is  frame  19,  18  next,  and  17 
is  under  the  water.  The  pipe  hole  through  that  deck  belongs  to  one  of 
the  forward  scuppers. 

Q.  What  is  the  general  direction  of  these  three  frames  19, 18,  and  17  ? 

A.  I  guess  they  would  be  pretty  near  at  an  angle  of  80  degrees  from 
the  horizontal. 

Q.  The  top  one  forward  or  aft? 

A.  No.  19  forward. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  berth  deck  and  what  portion  of  it  do  you  iden- 
tify this  as  being? 

A.  Port  side,  frame  19. 

Q.  And  the  cellulose  bulkhead  is  also  from  the  port  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  these  three  pieces  of  wreckage  seem  to  you  to  be  twisted 
around? 

A.  From  aft  to  forward  they  are  twisted  about  90  degrees  and  turned 
completely  around. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  was  originally  the  relative  positions  of  these  three  pieces 
of  wreckage? 

A.  Well,  they  were  all  parts  of  decks  running  fore  and  aft.  They 
were  practically  in  a  vertical  position  over  one  another.  19,  18,  and 
17  are  within  the  vicinity  of  16,  17,  18,  and  19  frames. 

Q.  How  do  you  think  they  got  into  their  present  condition? 

A.  That  is  beyond  me,  Captain. 

Q.  Are  they  all  in  the  same  position  with  reference  to  the  horizontal 
that  they  were  originally? 

A.  No,  they  are  thrown  forward  of  one  another.  They  are  right  for- 
ward of  one  another.  The  inner  bottom  seems  to  come  right  up  and 
over.    The  berth  deck  extends  nearly  vertical  now,  with  the  upper  side 


246  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

of  the  deck  to  pbit.  The  protective  deck  stands  about  60  degrees  to 
port  and  slants  about  60  degrees  to  vertical.  The  upper  side  faces  for- 
ward. The  top  of  the  protective  deck  faces  also  to  port  and  slightly- 
forward. 

Q.  Taking  the  superstructure  of  the  ship  between  frames  18  and  24, 
which  do  you  regard  as  affording  the  greater  resistance,  the  pressure 
from  the  interior  or  the  exterior? 

A.  I  think  the  double  bottom. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Where  were  the  knapsacks  and  infantry  equipments  stowed  in  the 
Maine  f 

A.  I  think  they  were  stowed  in  the  compartment  All. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  he  was  directed 
to  appear  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m.  to  read  over  his  testimony ;  whereupon, 
after  being  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  discuss  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Consul-General  Fitzhugh  Lee  appeared  as  a  witness  before  the 
court,  and  was  duly  sworn  by  the  president. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  your  full  name  and  your  official  position. 

A.  Fitzhugh  Lee,  United  States  consul-general  at  Havana. 

Q.  When  were  you  first  notified  of  the  intended  arrival  of  the  battle 
ship  Maine  f 

A.  Twenty-fourth  of  January,  1898.  I  have  the  telegram  here  and 
will  read  it: 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  Government  to  resume  the  friendly  naval  visits  at  Cuban 
ports.  In  that  view  the  Maine  will  call  at  the  port  of  Havana  in  a  day  or  two. 
Please  arrange  for  the  friendly  interchange  of  calls  with  the  authorities. 

Day. 

Q.  How  long  after  the  receipt  of  this  telegram  did  the  Maine  arrive? 

A.  She  arrived  the  next  morning,  at  about  11  o'clock,  I  think. 

Q.  Had  you  notified  the  authorities  at  Havana  of  her  intended 
arrival  ? 

A.  After  receiving  that  telegram  I  went  down  to  the  palace  and  no- 
tified the  authorities,  and  read  the  telegram  to  them.  That  was  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  24th  of  January.  Immediately  after  having  received 
the  telegram  above  referred  to  I  sent  the  following  reply  to  the  State 
Department : 

Havana,  January  24. 

Advise  visit  be  postponed  six  or  seven  days  to  give  last  excitement  more  time  to 
disappear.  Will  see  authorities  and  let  you  know.  Governor-General  away  for  two 
weeks.     I  should  know  day  and  hour  visit. 

Lee. 

The  following  morning  I  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the  State 
Department : 

[In  cipher.] 

Havana,  January  25. 
At  an  interview   authorities  profess   to   think  United  States  has  ulterior  pur- 
pose in  sending  ship.     Say  it  will  obstruct  autonomy,  produce  excitement,  and  most 
probably  a  demonstration.     Ask  that  it  is  not  done  until  they  can  get  instructions 
from  Madrid,  and  say  that  if  for  friendly  purposes,  as  claimed,  delay  unimportant. 

Lee. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  247 

And  after  arrival  of  the  Maine  I  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the 
Department : 

Havana,  January  25. 
Ship  quietly  arrived,  11  a.  m.  to-day;  no  demonstration  so  far. 

Lee. 

After  sending  the  telegram  of  the  24th  I  received  the  following  reply 
on  the  25th: 

Maine  has  been  ordered.  Will  probably  arrive  at  Havana  some  time  to-morrow, 
Tuesday.  Can  not  tell  hour.  Possibly  early.  Cooperate  with  the  authorities  for 
her  friendly  visit.     Keep  us  advised  by  frequent  telegrams. 

Day. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  the  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  by  the  stenographer  and  by  him  pronounced  cor- 
rect; whereupon  he  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then  (at  5  p.  m.)  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  Wednesday, 
March  9,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 


THIRTEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Wednesday,  March  9,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 
The  court  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  yesterday,  the  twelfth 
day  of  the  inquiry. 

Present:  All  the  members  of  the  court,  the  judge- advocate,  and  the 
stenographer. 
The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  read  and  approved. 

Naval  Constructor  Hoover  appeared  before  the  court. 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  .which  you  gave  yesterday 
before  this  court1? 
A.  I  have. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 
A.  It  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

Carpenter  Helm  appeared  before  the  court. 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  which  you  gave  before  the 
court  yesterday  ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded"? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  it  is. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 


248     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Ensign  W.  V.  IS.  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was 
recalled,  and,  having  been  warned  by  the  president  that  he  was  still 
under  the  oath  he  had  previously  taken,  testified  as  follows: 

Examined  by  tin  Judgke-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  which  you  gave  before  this 
court  last  Monday  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

A.  With  one  exception.  On  page  492,  third  line  from  the  bottom, 
next  to  the  last  word,  change  "of"  to  "with." 

Q.  Is  yonr  testimony  as  amended  now  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Since  giving  that  testimony  have  you  taken  an  angle  which  would 
show  the  position  of  the  rani  with  regard  to  the  keel  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Will  you  please  state  how  you  dia  it,  and  the  result? 

A.  I  sent  a  diver  down  to  make  a  lead  line  fast  as  near  to  the  point 
on  the  ram  as  possible.  He  could  not  find  the  point  of  the  ram,  as  it 
was  in  the  mud,  and  he  made  his  lead  line  fast  to  some  weights  along- 
side a  ram  plate  at  a  distance  which  he  estimated  from  the  curve  of 
the  keel  at  that  point  and  the  stem  of  the  ship  to  be  about  5  feet 
abaft  the  ram  point.  I  sent  a  man  out  in  a  boat  to  plumb  this  point  on 
the  ram  plate.  I  also  sent  a  diver  down  to  make  a  line  fast  to  the  verti- 
cal keel  where  this  broken  place  occurs  at  frame  18.  I  then  got  in  a 
boat  and  plumbed  this  latter  point,  and  took  an  angle  between  the 
plumb  line  of  the  armor  plate  and  the  center  of  the  after  funnel  of  the 
Maine,  which  occupied  probably  its  original  position. 

This  angle  I  measured  to  be  104°.  Standing  in  the  same  position  I 
measured  an  angle  between  the  funnel  to  which  I  have  referred  and  the 
mainmast  of  the  ship.  The  angle  was  2°  10'.  I  was  at  that  time  to 
port  of  the  line  connecting  the  funnel  and  the  mainmast.  I  took  a 
measurement  with  a  tape  line  from  the  plumb  of  the  ram  and  the 
plumb  of  the  break  in  the  vertical  keel,  at  frame  18.  I  found  this  to  be 
42  feet.  I  measured  the  distance  from  the  funnel  to  the  plumb  of 
the  ram  and  found  it  to  be  99  feet.  I  measured  the  distance  from  the 
funnel  to  the  plumb  of  the  vertical  keel  at  frame  18  and  found  it  to  be 
8G  feet. 

Q.  Did  you  yesterday  afternoon  send  Diver  Olsen  down  to  examine 
the  break  in  the  ship's  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  did  he  descend? 

A.  He  went  down  at  about  frame  41,  that  being  the  most  forward 
point  of  the  armor  plate  which  is  now  attached  to  the  ship. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  On  the  port  side. 

Q.  How  much  water  was  there  at  the  plumb  line  to  the  ram? 

A.  I  think  it  was  about  35  feet. 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  Now,  did  the  measurements  which  you  made  with  reference  to  the 
position  of  the  ram  enable  you  to  determine  how  the  keel  of  the  ship 
attached  to  the  ram  laid? 

A.  I  have  not  made  any  drawings  from  these  measurements.       / 

Q.  That  is  one  thing  we  would  like  to  know — how  the  keel  lies. 

A.  I  will  take  measurements  of  everything  and  let  you  know. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  249 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  directed 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  give  further  testimony,  and  after  being 
cautioned  by  the  president  not  to  converse  about  matters  pertaining  to 
the  inquiry  he  withdrew. 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  A.  Olsen,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was 
recalled,  and,  having  been  warned  by  the  president  that  he  was  still 
under  the  oath  he  had  previously  taken,  testified  as  follows: 

Examined  by  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  testimony  which  you  gave  before  this 
court  last  Monday? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

A.  It  is  correct  except  in  two  places. 

On  page  523,  eleventh  line,  after  the  words  "with  the,"  insert  "ram 
plate  on  bow  of  ship." 

On  page  521,  fifth  line,  it  should  be  "  U  iron"  instead  of  "V  iron." 

Q.  Is  your  testimony,  as  amended,  now  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Olsen,  will  you  state  to  the  court  what  you  mean  by  the  ram  plate 
which  you  can  feel? 

A,  The  ram  plate — it  is  fastened  on  the  bow  of  the  ship.  It  extends 
out  from  the  ship  about  10  or  12  inches — a  heavy  plate. 

Q.  Is  it  convex  on  the  outside? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Does  this  plate  you  speak  of  extend  fore  and  aft  on  the  whole  of 
the  ship? 

A.  Fore  and  aft;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  diviug  since  you  gave  your  last  testimony? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  down  yesterday,  Monday  evening,  and  yesterday 
all  day. 

Q.  Please  state  what  you  found. 

A.  I  went  down  Monday  night,  after  I  left  the  court  here,  to  look  for 
a  piece  of  wire,  of  which  I  spoke,  but  I  could  not  find  it.  Then  I  went 
down  again  yesterday  morning,  following  the  outside  of  the  ship  fore 
and  aft,  looking  for  this  wire,  which  I  could  not  find.  I  gave  that  up 
entirely  and  started  to  overhaul  the  bottom  of  the  ship  at  that  point. 
I  found  where  I  went  down,  at  frame  31,  at  the  armor  plate,  that  I  could 
feel  the  bottom  of  the  ship  forward  for  ten  frame  spaces.  At  the  end  of 
ten  frame  spaces  and  at  frame  31, 1  found  her  to  be  cut  off  entirely.  That 
is  as  far  as  I  could  walk  in  the  mud.  Then  I  went  back  again,  and  I 
counted  six  frame  spaces  from  the  armor  plate  forward.  That  is  about 
frame  35,  and  from  there  forward  I  found  to  be  blown  up  and  over  to 
starboard,  this  point  of  the  bottom  being  much  higher  than  at  any  other 
place  along  the  edge  of  the  bottom  abaft  this  point.  Then  I  tried  to 
locate  this  point,  where  she  was  broken  up,  and  I  found  a  manhole,  to 
which  I  attached  a  line,  which  is  fast  over  there  now  on  the  scow.  You 
can  plumb  that  point  at  any  time  by  the  line. 

At  frame  31  I  found  the  bilge  keel,  and  followed  the  break  in  amid- 
ships as  far  as  I  could.  I  followed  it  in  to  about  4  or  5  feet  inside  of 
the  bilge  keel,  and  could  not  go  farther  on  account  of  wreckage.  Then 
I  came  up  and  went  down  in  the  afternoon  forward  to  locate  the  bow. 
I  went  down  the  bow  of  the  ship  at  the  ram  plate,  and  I  could  not  walk 
any  farther  forward  on  account  of  the  wreckage,  but  I  walked  out  clear 
of  the  ship  to  port  and  forward  about  10  feet.    Then  I  walked  in  again 


250     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

over  to  starboard,  and  I  got  right  down  to  the  bow  of  the  ship  and  fol- 
lowed the  flat  surface  of  the  bow  right  forward  until  I  came  to  a  hawse 
pipe.  I  felt  all  around  this  to  see  if  I  could  feel  the  chain,  but  I  could 
not ;  but  I  dug  the  mud  out  underneath  and  found  another  hawse  pipe 
with  chain. 

Q.  Which  bow  was  that? 

A.  The  port  bow.  Then  I  went  farther  forward,  about  5  or  6  feet, 
and  I  could  feel  the  top  keel  of  the  ship.  I  found  the  shape  of  the  keel 
bent,  the  iron  keel,  around  the  forecastle.  Underneath  the  keel  I  found 
scroll  work  on  the  bow  of  the  ship  and  over  this  hawse  pipe,  but  I 
found  no  chain.  I  found  a  cover  that  covers  the  hawse  pipe,  with  two 
hinges  and  a  guy  made  fast  on  this  plate,  down  in  the  mud — I  think 
originally  made  fast  on  the  bow  of  the  ship — and  tried  to  haul  it  in, 
but  could  not  get  in  the  slack,  so  I  cut  the  mousing  that  hooks  where  it 
was  hooked  into  the  plate.  Then  I  followed  the  chain  out  from  the 
hawse  pipe,  out  to  port  from  the  ship,  and  found  the  port  anchor  in  the 
mud.  Then  I  found  another  chain  leading  out,  I  think,  from  the  star- 
board bow  underneath  and  out.  I  think  that  chain  runs  to  a  bow,  but 
I  did  not  locate  that  spot. 

Q.  When  you  first  descended  where  the  armor  is  broken  off,  what 
frame  is  that? 

A.  Frame  41,  sir. 

Q.  What  is  the  appearance  of  the  edge  of  the  ship's  bottom,  from 
frame  41  to  frame  35? 

A.  The  edge  is  ragged,  going  forward  between  frames  35  and  41,  sir. 

Q.  Are  there  any  ragged  points  tending  in  or  out? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  From  frame  35  to  frame  31,  you  say,  the  ragged  edge  slopes  in 
toward  the  keel? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  in  and  up. 

Q.  Then  the  appearance  of  things  there  at  frame  35  would  indicate 
that  the  ship's  keel  commences  to  be  lifted? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  seemingly  on  account  of  the  plates  here  being  so  much 
higher,  and  further  aft  the  rest  of  the  ship  being  in  the  mud  so  far. 

Q.  Then  you  are  able  to  get  underneath  the  bottom  of  the  ship  for- 
ward of  frame  35  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  much  plating  should  you  say  is  left  on  the  keel  at  frame  35? 

A.  The  bottom  of  the  ship  is  attached  to  about  the  fourth  longitudinal. 

Q.  At  frame  31  how  much  plating  is  attached  to  the  bottom  of  the 
ship  from  the  keel  out? 

A.  To  about  the  fourth  longitudinal  at  this  point  also. 

Q.  At  frame  31  you  say  the  bottom  of  the  ship  seems  to  have  disap- 
peared forward  of  31  ? 

A.  Forward  of  31,  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  endeavored  to  find  the  keel  itself  forward  of  31  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  but  could  not  get  in  amidships  as  far  as  the  keel  ought 
to  be,  on  account  of  the  wreckage. 

Q.  Where  did  you  again  find  the  keel  forward  of  31? 

A.  The  only  place  forward  of  31  where  1  found  the  bottom  of  the 
keel  is  at  frame  18. 

Q.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  keel  between  18  and  22? 

A.  From  18  aft  the  keel  goes  down  vertically — that  is,  the  inner  skin 
of  the  double  bottom,  not  the  keel — goes  down  vertically  for  a  space  of 
about  20  feet,  and  then  goes  aft,  sloping  lower  and  lower  as  far  aft  as 
you  go. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  251 

Q.  At  what  frame  did  you  find  the  bilge  keel? 

A.  At  frame  31. 

Q.  What  was  the  appearance  of  this  bilge  keel? 

A.  It  was  the  wood  part  of  that  keel  that  was  ragged  and  torn. 

Q.  Could  you  feel  the  after  break  of  the  keel — the  bilge  keel? 

A.  I  could  feel  the  break  of  the  bilge  keel  where  she  was  broken  at 
frame  31;  forward  of  that  it  was  gone. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  bilge  keel  and  the  wood  on  it,  as 
you  say;  where  you  did  find  it? 

A.  The  steel  part  of  the  bilge  keel  was  broken  off,  showing  rough 
edges,  and  the  wooden  part,  extending  forward  of  it,  was  ragged  and 
torn  in  splinters. 

Q.  At  what  frame  did  you  find  the  fourth  longitudinal,  clear  of  the 
bottom  plating  of  the  ship? 

A.  At  frame  31. 

Q.  How  far  did  the  longitudinal  extend  forward  clear  of  the  plating? 

A.  About  2  or  3  feet.     I  didn't  measure  it. 

Q.  What  became  of  it  then  ? 

A.  It  was  broken  off.     It  did  not  extend  any  farther  forward. 

Q.  In  what  direction  did  this  few  feet  of  longitudinal  run? 

A.  Seemingly  it  appeared  to  be  in  its  normal  condition,  not  bent  out 
of  shape. 

Q.  When  you  looked  for  the  bow  of  the  ship  did  you  again  find  it 
was  over  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  I  could  feel  over  the  rail  on  the  bow  of  the  ship  and 
feel  the  mud.    The  starboard  side  must  be  covered  with  mud. 

Q.  She  seemed  to  be  lying  on  the  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  way  did  the  keel  go,  with  the  line  of  the  mud — up  and  out? 
Did  it  go  aft  and  parallel  to  the  line  of  the  mud? 

A.  The  keel  is  up  and  over  to  starboard  a  little  aft. 

Q.  Counting  from  the  stem  aft? 

A.  Where  the  keel  is  out  of  the  mud,  up  over  to  starboard,  a  little 
aft. 

Q.  Did  you  take  the  depth  of  water  over  the  break  of  the  keel  at 
frame  18? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  much  was  it? 

A.  Six  feet  of  water,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  plumb  it  at  the  top  of  the  frame,  or  where? 

A.  At  the  point  where  the  keel  plates  are  broken  away  from  the 
bottom  angle  irons  of  the  vertical  keel. 

Q.  Did  you  plumb  and  take  depths  of  the  bend  of  the  keel  lower 
down? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  depth  did  you  find? 

A.  It  was  25  feet. 

Q.  Twenty- three  feet? 

A.  I  think  so. 

Q.  I  would  like  you  to  get  that  exact.  What  part  of  the  bend  did 
you  plumb  with  your  line  ? 

A.  I  plumbed  the  point  where  she  starts  to  go  aft — where  the  vertical 
keel  comes  down  and  goes  aft. 

Q.  Did  you  plumb  the  top  of  the  vertical  keel? 

A.  It  was  the  inner  skin  of  the  double  bottom. 


252     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  While  down  diving  since  you  gave  your  last  testimony  have  you 
looked  for  the  keel  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  been  looking  for  the  coal.  I  was  told  Monday  to 
look  for  the  coal,  and  every  time  1  have  been  down  since  I  have  looked 
for  it,  but  have  not  been  able  to  find  it. 

Q.  On  the  port  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  looked  as  far  forward  as  "B?" 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  as  far  aft  as  frame  41  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Well  out  from  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  as  much  as  20  feet  from  the  ship. 

Q.  In  toward  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  inside,  and  bottom. 

Q.  Did  you  find  much  wreckage  on  the  port  side? 

A.  No,  sir;  no  wreckage  there. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  directed 
to  appear  to-morrow  to  read  over  his  testimony,  and  to  hold  himself  in 
readiness  to  give  further  testimony.  Whereupon,  having  been  cau- 
tioned by  the  president  not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry, 
he  withdrew. 

Gunner's  Mate  T.  Smith  appeared  before  the  court. 
By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  your  testimony  which  you  gave  before  this 
court  yesterday? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  it  is  recorded? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  with  the  exception  of  one  mistake.    On  the  seventh  line 

of  page ,  change  "five  and  one-half  to  "five-eighths,"  so  as  to  read 

"  five-eighths  of  an  inch." 

Q.  Is  your  testimony  as  now  recorded  correct? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  since  you  gave  your  last  testimony? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  have  not. 

The  witness  then  withdrew,  after  being  cautioned  by  the  president 
not  to  discuss  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry. 

The  court  then,  at  11.45,  took  a  recess  until  2  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 

Gunner's  Mate  Schluter,  a  former  witness,  was  then  recalled,  and, 
after  being  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still  under 
the  oath  he  had  taken,  testified  as  follows : 

Examined  by  Judge- Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  record  of  your  testimony  which  you  gave 
before  this  court  last  Monday? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded  ? 

A.  It  is,  sir,  with  the  exception  of  two  lines.  On  page  507,  eighth 
line,  the  word  "plates"  should  read  "breaks."  On  page  509,  second 
line,  the  word  "plate"  should  read  "break." 

Q.  As  amended,  is  it  now  a  correct  record? 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  253 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  diving  since  you  gave  your  last  testimony? 

A.  Yes,  sir.    I  was  down  yesterday. 

Q.  Please  tell  to  the  court  what  you  did  and  found. 

A.  I  was  dressed  and  lowered  down  by  order  of  Mr.  Powelson  to 
look  for  boilers,  if  I  could  find  them.  While  I  was  down,  crawling 
down  a  little  ways  I  found  a  boiler.  I  crawled  all  around  it  and  all 
over  it,  and  found  it  to  be  in  good  condition.  Then,  while  I  was  on  top 
of  the  boiler,  I  hit  my  helmet  up  against  a  plate  overhead,  and  while 
crawling  up  on  top  of  there  I  found  a  piece  of  wire.  This  wire  looked 
to  me  not  to  belong  to  the  ship,  so  I  cut  off  a  piece  of  it  and  sent  it 
up  on  the  line.  After  Mr.  Powelson  had  inspected  it,  he  called  me  up, 
and  then  sent  me  down  again,  telling  me  to  saw  off  a  piece  of  the  wire 
and  send  it  up.  I  went  down  again  in  the  afternoon  and  tried  to  locate 
it,  and  did  so  after  an  hour  or  so.  I  tied  the  line  to  it  and  pulled  in  as 
much  slack  as  I  could,  then  sawed  it  off.  Then  I  signaled  for  them  to 
haul  it  up.  They  took  it  on  board  the  Fern  to  Mr.  Wainwright,  who 
said  it  was  telophotos  wire. 

Q.  Where  was  this  boiler  situated  that  you  found? 

A.  This  boiler  was  situated  about  20  feet  forward  of  the  crane, 
thwart  ships. 

Q.  On  which  side  of  the  ship? 

A.  A  little  over  on  the  port  side,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  any  other  boilers? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  look  for  them? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where? 

A.  In  the  same  place  and  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  one  I  found  and 
abaft  of  it. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  prevented  you  from  finding  them? 

A.  A  lot  of  wreckage,  sir,  over  which  I  had  to  crawl. 

Q.  Looking  at  the  plan  of  the  ship,  which  boiler  is  it  that  you  think 
you  found? 

A.  I  think  it  is  the  forward  one.  [Here  witness  pointed  out  the  port 
forward  boiler.] 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  after 
which  he  withdrew. 

Gunner's  Mate  Rundquist,  a  former  witness,  was  then  recalled,  and 
after  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was 
still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  record  of  your  testimony  given  before 
this  court  on  Monday  last? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  is,  with  the  exception  of  on  page  501,  end  of  line  6, 
strike  out  "forward  of."  Same  page,  line  16,  "piece  of  keel"  should 
read  "piece  of  coal."  After  that  the  word  "ram-plate"  appears  several 
times,  and  should  in  each  case  read  "armor- plate." 

Q.  Is  your  testimony,  as  amended,  now  correct? 


254  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  diving  since  you  gave  that  testimony? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Tell  us  what  you  did. 

A.  I  went  down  on  Monday  afternoon  and  examined  the  boilers.  I 
landed  in  a  place  that  looked  to  be  something  like  a  big  shell  or  compart- 
ment. It  may  have  been  a  boiler  blown  in.  The  top  part  of  it  was 
blown  away;  the  sides  were  sloping  up.  I  could  not  say  what  it  was. 
I  examined  it,  and  it  looked  to  be  a  place  measuring  inside  10  feet  wide, 
and  of  the  same  length.  I  found  a  big  square  hole  in  the  bottom  of  it, 
and  going  through,  got  out  among  a  lot  of  coal.  I  was  feeling  around 
for  some  time  and  got  hold  of  some  pipe.  I  sent  up  a  piece  of  pipe  and 
also  got  some  asbestus  after  I  had  come  up  out  of  the  square  hole. 

Then  I  went  to  the  other  side  of  this  place  where  I  came  down  and 
found  some  wire  netting.  I  put  my  hand  through  this  netting,  and  it 
was  all  carried  away,  and  found  something  that  looked  to  be  the  end  of 
a  boiler  or  what  appeared  to  be  the  end  of  a  boiler.  There  were  lots  of 
nuts.  I  think  there  were  eleven  of  them ;  but  I  found  I  could  not  count 
them  all.  They  were  six-cornered  nuts  and  measured  4£  inches  across. 
The  top  of  the  boiler  looked  to  be  in  good  condition.  I  was  sitting  on 
top  of  this  boiler  and  examining  it  when  I  got  the  signal  to  come  up. 
I  was  down  only  a  short  time.  I  also  found  three  10-inch  shells  inside 
this  place  where  I  landed  when  I  first  came  down.  That  was  all 
that  day. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  was  this  place  in  where  you  first  landed? 

A.  That  was  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship.  I  should  say  it  must  have 
been  somewhere  about  there.     [Witness  pointed  out  coal  bunker  B.  4.] 

Q.  Where  was  this  boiler  that  you  landed  on;  can  you  point  that 
out  ? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  know  where  I  landed. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  down  when  you  landed  on  that  boiler? 

A.  From  the  lighter  on  the  port  side. 

Q.  Then  you  went  down  forward  of  the  crane? 

A.  Forward  of  the  crane;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  looked  for  any  coal  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  been  looking  for  coal.  I  found  some  coal  after 
going  through  the  square  hole.  I  was  not  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship. 
It  must  have  been  some  place  inside  of  the  ship.  It  may  have  been  in 
a  coal  .bunker. 

Q.  Did  you  go  down  again  ? 

A.  Not  that  day.     I  went  down  this  morning. 

Q.  State  to  the  court  where  you  went  down  and  what  you  found. 

A.  I  had  orders  to  go  down  and  look  for  powder  tanks.  I  went 
down  from  the  lighter  on  the  starboard  side  and  landed  about  midships 
among  a  lot  of  wreckage.  I  was  walkiug  around  there  and  got  hold 
of  three  10-inch  shells  lying  fiat  down.  I  tried  to  lift  them  up,  but 
could  not  on  account  of  the  wreckage.  I  walked  away  from  there 
and  found  a  6-inch  shell  with  the  straps  on.  I  sent  it  up.  I  also  found 
a  10-inch  powder  tank,  which  I  sent  up.  I  was  walking  over  a  lot  of 
plates  and  wreckage  down  there  and  did  not  find  any  more  powder 
tanks,  but  found  different  parts  of  the  ship.  I  then  got  a  signal  to 
come  up.  The  second  time  to  day  I  landed  close  to  a  heavy  piece  of 
plating.  I  examined  it  and  found  it  to  be  armor  belonging  to  the 
transverse  armor,  because  it  was  about  the  same  thickness  all  over.  I 
should  say  that  it  was  about  0  inches  thick,  as  well  as  I  could  measure 
it  with  my  fingers.    I  went  over  this  and  lowered  myself  over  the  other 


DESTRUCTION    OP    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  255 

side  to  what  looked  to  be  a  wing  passage,  and  this  plate  was  standing 
up.     I  examined  this  for  some  time,  when  I  got  the  signal  to  come  up. 

Q.  When  you  first  landed  on  the  10-inch  shell,  were  these  three  shells 
ranged  together1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  lying  side  by  side. 

Q.  Noses  which  way! 

A.  Toward  starboard,  I  should  say,  from  where  I  was,  down  below. 

Q.  Which  way  did  you  walk  before  you  found  the  6-inch  shell1? 

A.  I  found  the  6-inch  shell  close  to  these — only  a  few  feet  apart. 

Q.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  powder  tank  you  sent  up? 

A.  The  top  and  the  bottom  of  it  was  gone;  the  rest  of  it  was  in  good 
condition ;  not  split  or  anything  in  it. 

Q.  Empty? 

A.  Empty. 

Q.  Which  way  did  you  walk  when  you  found  the  armor  that  you 
speak  of? 

A.  I  walked  aft. 

Q.  Aft? 

A.  Aft  and  to  starboard. 

Q.  Which  way  was  this  armor  plating  standing? 

A.  It  was  standing  on  the  end,  sloping  over  to  port. 

Q.  Was  it  fore  and  aft,  or  was  it  athwartships? 

A.  No,  sir;  it  was  neither  way.  It  was  standing  in  an  angle  facing 
the  starboard  bow  and  port  quarter. 

Q.  How  large  was  this  plate? 

A.  I  did  not  measure  the  length  of  it,  but  I  extended  my  two  arms 
and  could  not  reach  the  end  of  it. 

Q.  What  side  of  the  ship  was  it  in? 

A.  Starboard  side,  sir. 

Q.  Are  yon  sure  it  did  not  increase  in  thickness  as  it  went  down? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  may  have  increased,  but  if  it  did,  it  was  very  little. 

Q.  How  far  from  the  top  did  you  feel? 

A.  I  felt  and  followed  one  edge  down  until  I  got  to  the  corner,  and 
felt  the  same  thickness. 

Q.  How  deep  did  you  say  it  was? 

A.  Six  or  seven  feet. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  What  did  it  rest  on? 

A.  It  looked  like  it  had  been  jammed  in  amongst  some  wreckage,  and 
it  also  rested  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship  and  the  passageway  that  I  got 
into.  I  went  over  the  plate  and  got  into  the  wing  passage  on  the  star- 
board side  of  the  ship.  It  was  very  dark,  and  I  could  hardly  distin- 
guish anything. 

Q=  Did  you  see  the  armor  plate  that  has  been  reported  in  previous 
testimony  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  seen  the  armor  plate  on  the  port  side  the  first  time  I 
went  dowu.  This  is  not  the  same  armor,  because  that  plate  had  some 
wood  backing,  but  I  could  not  find  any  wood  backing  on  this  one. 

Q.  Was  not  that  first  plate  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  one  you  just 
described? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  first  plate  was  more  on  the  port  side.  This  one  was 
well  out  toward  starboard. 

Q.  Did  you,  on  that  occasion,  feel  the  side  of  the  ship  when  you 
examined  that  plate? 

A.  Do  you  mean  the  first  plate  or  the  one  I  examined  to-day? 


256     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  The  one  you  examined  to-day. 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  I  found  the  inside  of  the  ship ;  that  is,  it  felt  to  ine  like  the 
inside  of  the  ship.  I  found  the  slope  of  the  ship  and  found  beams 
extending  out — 4  or  5  feet  between  each  beam. 

Q.  Were  there  any  bolts  in  this  armor  plate1? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  could  not  feel  any.  I  was  feeling  all  over  with  my 
hands,  but  could  not  feel  either  bolts  or  places  for  them. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  the  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  correct,  and  after  being 
cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon  matters 
pertaining  to  the  court  he  withdrew. 

There  being  no  further  testimony  ready  to  give,  the  court  (at  3.45) 
adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow,  Thursday,  at  10  in  the  morning. 


FOURTEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  Thursday,  March  10,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  stenographer, 
Chief  Yeoman  F.  J.  Buenzle,  U.  S.  Navy;  Messrs.  Hulse  and  Bisselle 
having  been  discharged. 

The  record  of  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  then  read  over  and 
approved. 

The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

The  doors  were  opened  at  12  o'clock  and  the  court  proceeded  to  the 
wreck.  On  the  return  of  the  court  from  the  wreck  a  recess  was  taken 
until  2  p.  m. 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge  advocate,  and  the  stenog- 
rapher. 

The  court  again  visited  the  wreck. 

On  returning  from  the  wreck,  at  3  p.  in.,  there  being  no  further  evi- 
dence ready,  the  court  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m. 


FIFTEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.   H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  Friday,  March  11,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 

Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge  advocate,  and  the  stenogra- 
pher. 

The  court  was  then  cleared  for  consultation. 

Two  members  of  the  court  visited  the  wreck,  and  returned  with  some 
of  the  mud  taken  from  the  bottom  of  the  harbor  where  the  wreck  of 
the  Maine  is  now  lying.  This  mud,  after  having  been  dried,  was  ignited 
by  a  match,  and  burned  readily,  the  smoke  having  a  strong  odor  of  gun- 
powder. 

At  12.15  the  court  took  a  recess  until  2  p.  m. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  257 

Tlie  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 
Present:  All  the   members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenogra- 
pher.    Captain  Sigsbee  also  entered  the  court. 

Commander  G.  A.  Converse,  U.  S.  Navy,  was  summoned  by  the 
court  as  an  expert  witness,  and,  having  been  duly  sworn  by  the  presi- 
dent of  the  court,  testified  as  follows : 

Questioned  by  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  What  is  your  name,  rank,  and  present  station  ? 

A.  George  A.  Converse;  commander,  TJ.  S.  Navy;  commanding  the 
U.  S.  S.  Montgomery: 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  naval  service? 

A.  Thirty-six  and  one-half  years,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  made  a  study  of  the  nature  and  effects  of  explosives? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  considerable. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  duties  you  have  had  on  shore  which 
brought  you  in  close  contact  with  this  subject. 

A.  About  eleven  years  at  the  torpedo  station ;  commencing  in  1869. 

Q.  When  were  you  at  the  torpedo  station  last! 

A.  In  June,  1897. 

Q.  Had  you  then  been  in  charge  of  torpedo  supplies'? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  for  over  four  years. 

Examined  by  the  Court: 

Q.  Did  you,  while  at  the  torpedo  station,  have  many  opportunities 
to  witness  the  explosion  of  submarine  mines'? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  very  frequent  opportunities. 

Q.  What  material — what  explosives  wTere  used1? 

A.  Gunpowder,  nitroglycerin,  dynamite,  and  gun  cotton. 

Q.  What  quantities  of  these  materials  have  you  seen  used  for  such 
purposes  at  any  one  time? 

A.  The  largest  quantity  I  have  ever  seen  used  consisted  of  a  torpedo 
containing  300  pounds  of  gunpowder  and  200  pounds  of  dyuamite,  all 
in  separate  cases — 100  pounds  in  each  case — securely  lashed  together. 
Single  charges  of  gunpowder  of  150  pounds;  charges  of  nitroglycerin 
of  about  100  pounds;  charges  of  dynamite  of  about  100  pounds,  and 
charges  of  gun  cotton  of  about  120  pounds. 

(A  plan  of  the  forward  magazine  and  shell  room  of  the  Maine  was 
then  shown  to  the  witness.) 

Q.  Examine  that  blue  print,  Captain  Converse,  and  tell  the  court  if, 
in  your  opinion,  one  or  more  of  those  magazines  should  explode  or  par- 
tially explode  in  that  ship  would  such  an  explosion  lift  the  forward 
body  of  the  ship  partly  out  of  the  water? 

A.  I  don't  think  it  would  lift  the  ship  out  of  the  water. 

Q.  Will  you  please  give  the  court  your  reasons  for  thinking  so? 

A.  I  think  that  the  body  of  the  ship,  water  borne  in  all  directions, 
would  tend  to  offer  a  resistance  which  would  cause  a  general  effect  of 
a  large  explosion  to  be  exerted  upward;  and  that  an  explosion  tend- 
ing to  lift  the  ship  up  would  necessarily  have  to  be  diffused  over  a  very 
large  surface. 

Q.  Suppose  that  a  submarine  mine  explodes  adjacent  to  the  side  or 
bottom  of  a  ship  thus  water  borne;  what  will  be  the  direction  of  the 
explosion  ? 

A.  It  exerts  some  effect  in  all  directions,  but  the  most  violent  effect 
S,  Doc,  207 17 


258  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

in  the  direction  of  the  least  resistance,  and  that  depends  entirely  upon 
the  depth  of  the  explosion  below  the  surface  of  the  water.  1  believe  it 
to  be  possible  to  explode  moderate  charges  of  gunpowder  against  the 
sides  of  a  strong  ship  and  do  very  little  damage,  if  the  center  of  the 
charge  is  comparatively  near  the  surface  of  the  water;  but  if  the  cen- 
ter of  the  charge  is  well  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  so  that  it  will 
afford  a  large  amount  of  water-tamping,  then  an  injury  will  be  done 
to  the  ship,  while  there  will  be  comparatively  little  disturbance  of  the 
water  at  the  surface. 

Q.  Supposing  the  charge  to  be  a  large  one,  and  placed  under  the 
bottom  of  the  ship  where  the  water  is  only  8  or  10  feet  below  the  bottom 
of  the  ship,  what  will  be  the  direction  of  the  explosion? 

A.  It  would  depend  very  much  upon  the  position  of  the  torpedo  with 
regard  to  the  bottom  of  the  ship ;  that  is  to  say,  whether  the  torpedo 
was  in  close  contact  with  the  bottom,  or  was  lying  on  the  ground  at 
some  distance  below  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  with  water  intervening. 
If  the  torpedo  contained  a  large  amount  of  explosive,  and  were  placed 
in  contact  with  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  it  is  my  opinion  that  it  would 
endanger  the  ship  by  blowing  a  well-defined  hole  through  it.  The  size 
of  the  hole  depends,  of  coarse,  upon  the  distance  of  the  center  of  the 
charge  from  the  skin  of  the  ship.  If,  however,  the  charge  is  on  the 
bottom  of  the  harbor,  and  a  depth  of  water  of  several  feet  intervened 
between  it  and  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  I  think  the  tendency  would  be 
to  lift  the  ship  bodily ;  in  other  words,  it  would  cause  a  large  upheaval 
of  water  similar  in  effect  to  a  large  wave  striking  the  ship,  at  a  point 
directly  over  the  mine — would  tend  to  lift  the  body  of  the  ship  at  that 
place  exactly  as  the  crest  of  a  wave. 

Q.  In  case  of  the  explosion  of  a  submarine  mine  under  the  bottom 
of  a  vessel,  as  you  have  described  it,  the  effect  upon  a  vessel,  either 
in  lifting  her  bodily,  of  blowing  a  hole  in  the  bottom,  would  depend 
upon  the  size  of  the  charge  and  its  proximity  to  the  bottom  of  the 
ship,  would  it  not? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  If  the  charge  is  sufficiently  large,  and  near  enough  to  the  bottom 
of  the  ship,  both  of  these  phenomena  would  take  place — ship  lifted  up 
and  the  bottom  blown  in? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  A  point  to  be  taken  into  consideration  is  the  nature  of 
the  explosives  employed.  Gunpowder  is  the  more  moderate  explosive, 
and  tends  to  produce  a  greater  upheaval  of  water,  as  a  rule,  than  do 
the  more  violent  explosives,  which,  in  proportion  to  their  violence, 
seem  to  cut  a  hole  out  of  the  water,  lifting  in  the  shape  of  a  line  spray 
all  that  directly  above  the  charge.  To  illustrate  this  point,  and  the 
injury  sometimes  done  by  high  explosives,  I  cite  the  case  of  the 
Aquidaban,  which,  according  to  authentic  photographs,  had  holes 
blown  completely  through  from  one  side  to  the  other  by  charges  of  gun 
cotton;  whereas  I  have  seen  wooden  vessels  of  comparatively  good  size, 
in  which  large  quantities  of  gunpowder  have  been  exploded,  without 
injuring  the  vessel  to  any  great  extent,  there  being  in  the  latter  case 
simply  a  large  upheaval  of  water,  to  which  the  vessel  rose  and  fell 
exactly  as  she  would  have  done  in  a  heavy  sea. 

Q.  What  is  your  experience,  Captain,  in  the  case  of  the  explosion  of 
a  submarine  mine,  as  to  what  becomes  of  the  mine;  of  the  case  itself? 

A.  I  have  rarely  seen  any  considerable  pieces  of  mine,  whether  they 
consisted  of  powder  or  of  more  violent  explosives  which  have  been  found ; 
they  are  almost  invariably  ruptured  and  lost. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  259 

Q.  That  is  to  say  they  are  not  blown  up? 

A.  They  are  blown  up.  That  is  noticeable  in  the  case  of  spar  torpe- 
does, in  which  I  have  exploded  gunpowder  and  gun  cotton,  in  cases 
made  of  wood,  cast  iron,  copper,  and  steel,  and  perhaps  other  metals. 
In  all  my  experience  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  any  considerable 
pieces  of  any  case  after  an  explosion.  Sometimes  small  fragments  of 
cast  iron  have  been  seen,  and,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  thrown  into  a 
boat,  indicating  a  complete  demolition  of  the  case  containing  the  explo- 
sive. 

.  Q.  In  the  case  of  a  submarine  mine  that  was  exploded  under  the 
bottom  of  the  ship,  and  containing  sufficient  explosive  to  completely 
destroy  the  ship  in  that  region,  would  your  remarks  about  the  subma- 
rine mine  case  itself  apply  to  the  bottom  of  the  ship  which  is  submerged, 
not  referring  at  all  to  the  interior  portion  of  the  ship? 

A.  In  the  case  of  all  mines  the  form  of  the  mine  is  usually  such  as 
to  contain  only  the  amount  of  the  explosives  used,  and  hence  there 
must  be  a  rupture  of  the  case  for  the  gases  to  escape.  Were  the  mine 
in  contact  with  the  ship,  or  quite  close  to  it,  I  think  the  effect  on  the 
bottom  of  the  ship  would  be — depending,  of  course,  upon  the  size  of 
the  mine — to  blow  to  pieces  that  part  of  the  ship  directly  over  the 
center  of  the  explosion,  and  rending  and  tearing  the  bottom  of  the  ship 
from  the  center  in  different  directions,  the  amount  of  damage  depend- 
ing entirely  upon  the  quantity  and  nature  of  the  explosive  employed. 
In  other  words,  that  the  violent  explosive  would  cut  a  hole,  blowing 
that  part  that  was  cut  out  into  small  fragments,  and  that  the  size  of 
the  hole  would  depend  entirely  upon  the  size  of  the  charge  employed. 

Q.  Captain,  will  you  please  examine  the  sketches  which  have  been 
shown  you  aud  tell  the  court  whether,  in  your  opinion,  the  explosion 
of  one  or  all  of  these  forward  magazines,  or  their  partial  explosion, 
would  leave  the  bottom  of  the  ship  in  the  condition  which  now  exists, 
as  represented  in  these  sketches? 

(Exhibit  H  was  shown  witness.) 

A.  The  sketch  might  represent  two  explosions  of  entirely  different 
natures.  That  part  of  the  sketch  represented  here  as  frame  14£  to 
frame  18£,  aft,  in  a  direction  of  frame  23,  might  be  produced  by  the 
explosion  of  a  comparatively  large  mine  of  not  violent  explosive  matter 
at  some  distance  below  the  bottom  of  the  ship ;  whereas  the  part  abaft  of 
frame  23  has  all  the  appearance  of  the  effect  produced  on  iron  plates  by  a 
high  explosive  in  close  proximity  to  it.  There  are  in  all  explosions  two 
general  effects:  First,  the  upheaval  of  the  water,  caused  by  the  direct 
action  of  the  explosion,  followed  almost  immediately  afterwards  by  the 
second  upheaval  of  water  and  mud,  being  the  reaction  of  the  water 
from  the  sides  and  the  bottom,  which  rushes  in  to  till  the  crater  pro- 
duced by  the  first  explosion.  But  the  location  of  this  upheaval  and  the 
distortion  of  the  keel  in  the  present  instance  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  formed  by  the  secondary  effect  referred  to  above.  It  is  too  far  for- 
ward; too  remote.  It  is  too  far  from  the  place  marked  "Debris,"  which 
must  be  somewhere  about  frame  27.  If  that  is  27,  then  the  distance, 
as  marked,  from  frame  18,  will  be  eleven  frame  spaces,  or  44  feet 
forward  of  what  would  appear  to  be  the  crater  of  the  most  violent 
explosion. 

Q.  Then  to  what  kind  of  an  explosion  do  you  attribute  the  force 
that  caused  this  bending  of  plates  and  keel  on  sketch? 

A.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  could  be  produced  by  the  explosion  of 
a  submarine  mine  containing  a  large  amount  of  the  lower  explosives — 


260  DESTRUCTION   OP    THE   XL  S.  BATTLE   SHIP   MAINE. 

gunpowder  or  similar — not  in  contact  with  the  ship,  but  some  distance 
below  it,  perhaps  on  the  bottom. 

Q.  Looking  at  the  sketch  shown  you,  especially  at  that  portion  of 
the  keel  which  has  frame  18  on  top,  and  the  plates — bent  plates — for- 
ward of  it,  excluding  entirely  all  portion  abaft  of  it,  could  this  part 
which  you  are  now  told  to  consider  have  become  so  distorted  from  the 
effects  of  an  internal  explosion  alone? 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  could.  I  have  never  seen  anything  in  my  experi- 
ence which  would  lead  me  to  believe  that  it  is  possible  to  produce  the 
effect  indicated  by  any  explosion  within  the  interior  of  the  ship  in  that 
immediate  vicinity. 

Q.  Looking  at  the  sketch  shown  you,  and  informing  you  that  the  for- 
ward 6  inch  magazine  and  the  fixed  ammunition  room  were  at  that  part 
of  the  keel  which  is  represented  as  nearly  vertical — that  is,  frame  18  to 
frame  21 — could  the  conditions  as  shown  forward  of  frame  21  have  been 
caused  by  an  explosion  of  those  two  magazines,  or  of  any  magazine 
abaft  of  frame  21 ? 

A.  I  do  not  think  it  could. 

Q.  Do  you  think,  then,  necessarily,  there  must  have  been  an  under- 
water mine  to  produce  these  explosions! 

A.  Indications  are  that  an  under- water  explosion  produce  the  condi- 
tions there. 

Examined  by  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Looking  at  the  plan  of  the  Blaine's  forward  10-inch  and  6-inch 
magazines,  would  it  be  possible  for  them  to  have  exploded,  torn  out  the 
ship's  side  on  both  sides,  and  leave  that  part  of  the  ship  forward  of 
frame  18  so  water  borne  as  to  raise  the  after  portion  of  that  part  of  the 
ship,  drag  it  aft,  and  bring  the  vertical  keel  into  the  condition  that  you 
see  on  the  sketch? 

A.  It  is  difficult  for  me  to  realize  that  that  effect  could  have  been 
produced  by  an  explosion  of  the  kind  supposed. 

Q.  You  said  in  your  previous  testimony  that  the  distortion  of  the 
plates  forward  of  frame  18  could  have  been  caused  by  an  outside  mine 
of  moderate  explosive  power.  Could  such  a  mine,  if  producing  that 
effect,  also  set  fire  to  the  magazine? 

A.  I  am  unable  to  answer  that  question. 

Q.  Can  you  consider  it  possible,  under  any  circumstances,  to  have  a 
portion  of  the  6-iucli  magazine  exploded  and  not  all  the  powder  in  that 
magazine  explode?  If  so,  please  state  under  what  circumstances  this 
would  be  possible. 

A.  I  think  I  am  positively  certain  an  explosion  might  occur  ATithout 
exploding  all  the  powder  in  separate  tanks. 

Q.  But  if  the  explosion  originated  on  the  inside  of  the  magazine, 
without  any  water  on  the  inside  of  it,  would  it  not  be  almost  certain 
that  all  the  powder  in  that  magazine  would  explode? 

A.  I  think  it  would  be  much  more  certain. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  he  was  directed 
to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  appear  before  the  court  when  summoned, 
and  to  give  further  evidence,  if  desired,  whereupon  he  withdrew. 

The  court  then  adjourned  (at  5.20)  to  meet  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    tf.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  261 


SIXTEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 

Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba, 
Saturday,  March  12,  1898—10  a,  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:   All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,   and  the   stenog- 
rapher. 

The  record  of  the  proceedings  of  yesterday  was  read  over  and  ap- 
proved. 

Capt.  John  Haggerty,  of  the  Merritt  Wrecking  Company,  was 
called  as  a  witness,  and,  having  been  duly  sworn  by  the  president  of  the 
court,  testified  as  follows: 

By  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  your  full  name  and  your  profession. 

A.  John  Haggerty,  a  submarine  diver  of  the  Merritt  &  Chapman 
Derrick  and  Wrecking  Company. 

Q.  Are  you  one  of  the  officers  of  that  company1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  one  of  the  Merritt's  divers.  I  am  in  charge  of  the 
diving  department. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  diver? 

A.  Thirty- seven  years,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  recently  gone  down  to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine,  and  out- 
side of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  how  many  hours  in  all  have  you  been  down? 

A.  I  could  not  state  that  exactly;  about  seven  days,  at  three  and 
one  half  hours  per  day. 

Q.  Which  side  of  the  ship  did  you  go  down? 

A.  Inside  first,  looking  for  the  dead  bodies. 

Q.  And  then  did  you  go  down  on  the  port  side  or  the  starboard  side? 

A.  I  went  down  both  the  port  and  starboard  sides;  also  into  the 
staterooms,  and  got  the  doctor's  watch  and  chain  and  his  rings,  and  in 
the  afterroom  I  got  those  gold  cups  and  some  other  things. 

Q.  Did  you  make  an  examination  of  the  ship  itself  on  the  outside? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  partly. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  how  you  found  the  Maine  when  you 
examined  her. 

A.  I  found  the  deck — that  is,  the  protective  deck — aft,  and  it  lays  aft 
now,  with  the  upper  side  against  the  ship's  side  and  the  waterways 
and  juts  out  on  an  angle  of  about  30  degrees  from  the  horizontal — 
that  is,  the  thick  steel  deck — 2-inch  plate.  It  lies  on  the  port  side,  with 
the  outer  edge  right  in  the  mud.  That  is  what  we  are  trying  to  pull 
out,  so  as  to  get  inside  to  examine  her. 

Q.  About  what  part  of  her  did  you  find  the  deck  in  this  condition; 
how  far  aft  and  how  far  forward? 

A.  It  is  just  forward  of  the  turret  on  the  port  side.  The  forward  part 
of  the  turret  on  the  port  side  is  about  2  or  3  feet  abaft  of  that.  I  could 
stand  on  that  deck  and  reach  my  hands  over  to  the  forward  part  of  the 
turret. 

Q.  How  far  forward  does  this  deck  go  in  this  condition? 

A.  About  35  to  40  feet  forward  of  the  break.  On  the  bottom  it  runs 
a  little  farther  forward  than  it  does  on  top.   . 


262  DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  the  armor  belt  underneath  this  protective  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  the  court  to  understand  that  this  protective  deck  has  been 
pulled  over  to  port  so  as  to  bring  the  beams  of  the  deck  on  top? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  beams  are  on  top. 

Q.  And  you  further  mean  to  say  that  which  is  now  the  outer  edge 
was  formerly  inboard  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  that  is,  when  it  was  on  the  ship. 

Q.  And,  furthermore,  that  this  edge  extends  farther  out  from  the 
ship's  side  forward  than  it  does  aft? 

A.  It  does.     If  it  is  anything,  it  goes  down  at  more  of  an  angle. 

Q.  How  far  forward  from  the  after  part  can  you  go  under  this  pro- 
tective deck  to  feel  the  armor  belt? 

A.  About  8  feet;  I  don't  think  you  can  get  any  farther  than  8  feet. 
Probably  G  or  8  feet. 

Q.  And  what  is  the  condition  of  this  armor  belt  for  these  8  feet? 

A.  I  found  it  all  right.  Another  thing  I  found  forward  of  this  port 
turret,  I  think  that  the  iron  is  broken,  and  I  have  not  made  a  good 
examination.  From  the  main  deck  down  it  looks  like  a  split  of  about 
2  feet. 

Q.  Does  it  seem  to  be  an  up-and-down  break? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  up  and  down. 

Q.  How  wide  do  you  think  this  piece  of  protective  deck  which  has 
been  folded  outboard  is? 

A.  I  dare  say  it  is  somewhere  about  30  feet. 

Q.  Is  it  wider  forward  or  wider  aft? 

A.  It  looks  to  me,  if  anything,  to  be  wider  forward,  as  it  runs  out 
and  more  down  into  the  mud. 

Q.  Can  you  tell  whether  the  break  of  the  protective  deck  on  the 
inside  of  the  ship  runs  fore  and  aft? 

A.  The  break  runs  athwartship,  and  the  deck  is  folded  back  from 
forward  and  to  port,  and  the  edge  which  was  forward  and  is  now  aft  is 
cut  off  sharp. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Captain,  have  you  been  down  forward  of  this  protective  deck? 
A.  Not  yet,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  the  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  whereupon 
he  withdrew. 

William  Henry  Dwyer,  a  submarine  diver,  was  then  called  as  a 
witness  by  the  court,  and,  having  been  duly  sworn  by  the  president  of 
the  court,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge- Advocate  : 
Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  your  full  name  and  your  profession. 
A.  William  Henry  Dwyer;  a  submarine  diver. 

Q.  Are  you  one  of  the  regular  divers  of  the  Merritt  Wrecking  Com- 
pany ? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  a  diver? 
A.  Since  1876. 

Q.  Have  you  been  down  to  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  recently? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  IT.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     263 

Q.  About  how  many  hours  have  you  been  under  water  examining-  the 
Maine  f 

A.  Six  hours  every  day;  for  three  days  I  have  been  down  examining 
her. 

Q.  Please  tell  the  court  in  what  condition  you  found  the  wreck  of  the 
Maine  where  you  examined  her. 

A.  On  the  starboard  side,  about  20  feet  aft  of  the  midship  torpedo 
tube,  about  frame  43,  I  found  tbe  armor  belt  started  from  the  side. 
From  that  point  forward  to  about  8  feet  forward  of  the  torpedo  tube 
the  top  of  the  armor  belt  gradually  leaned  out  until  8  feet  forward  of 
the  torpedo  tube  it  leaned  out  the  whole  thickness  of  the  armor  and 
about  2  inches  more.  That  is  all  abaft  the  turret.  About  4  feet  for- 
ward of  the  torpedo  tube — that  is,  at  about  frame  36 — the  top  side ;  that 
is,  from  the  top  of  the  armor  up  to  the  main  deck,  leaned  out  until  it 
was  almost  horizontal  at  the  forward  edge,  where  the  armor  is  broken 
off.  About  18  inches  forward  of  the  end  of  the  armor  the  skin  of  the 
ship  below  the  armor  was  cut  down.  The  next  plate  forward  was  gone 
completely — that  is,  between  that  and  the  turret.  Then,  I  should  judge, 
about  18  inches  beyond  the  end  of  the  last  plate,  the  side  itself  was 
cut  down  plumb  for  three  plates  deep — that  is,  the  skin  of  the  ship.  It 
was  cut  down  level  with  the  bottom,  so  that  I  could  walk  right  in  on 
the  inner  bottom.  Inside,  the  fore-and-aft  bulkhead,  between  the  side 
of  the  wing  passage  and  the  bunker,  was  intact  up  to  the  berth  deck, 
and  stood  perpendicular. 

The  bulkhead  between  the  coal  bunker  and  the  boiler  room  was  also 
plumb  up  to  the  forward  end  of  the  bunker  back  of  the  starboard  for- 
ward boiler;  but  the  forward  thwartship  bulkhead  of  that  bunker  was 
blown  aft  and  torn  out  completely.  There  is  a  thwartship  bulkhead 
about  in  line  with  the  after  side  of  the  forward  boiler,  and  that  was 
also  intact,  but  the  protective  deck  was  lifted  3  or  4  feet  up  off  of  it.  I 
went  over  that  thwartship  bulkhead  into  the  next  bunker — that  was 
by  the  alter  boiler  of  the  forward  fire  room.  I  went  over  there  and 
went  back  through  the  next  bunker  nearly  to  the  thwartship  pocket. 
It  is  a  coal  bunker  abaft  of  the  after  boiler  in  the  forward  tire  room. 
At  that  point  the  protective  deck  is  down  in  its  place.  The  inner  bulk- 
head of  the  wing  passage  is  intact  right  forward — as  far  forward  as 
frame  30.  I  went  in  over  the  top  of  the  armor,  at  frame  35,  over  the 
three  bulkheads,  and  got  in  on  boiler  A,  and  then  on  boiler  C,  and 
after  tearing  off  the  felting  and  wiring  I  could  feel  the  boiler  itself 
Then  I  found  the  same  on  boiler  A.  At  the  bottom  of  the  armor  ueit, 
all  along,  it  is  flush  with  the  side.     It  is  not  started  out. 

As  far  as  the  armor  extends,  which  is  at  frame  35,  the  bottom  edge 
of  the  armor  is  all  right,  but  the  top  leans  out.  By  boiler  A  I  mean 
the  starboard  forward  boiler,  and  by  boiler  0  I  mean  the  next  after 
boiler  on  the  starboard  side.  That  ended  the  inspection  on  the  star- 
board side.  On  the  port  side  I  went  down  at  about  frame  35,  dropping 
a  weight  at  the  end  of  boiler  B.  I  crossed  the  top  of  boiler  B  and  then 
back  across  the  back  of  it,  along  the  back  of  the  boiler  to  the  starting 
point.  From  there  I  went  to  boiler  D,  striking  it  at  about  the  middle, 
and  went  to  the  back  end  of  it.  I  took  off  the  cover  and  felting  and 
felt  the  iron  in  that.  I  found  the  boilers  not  materially  damaged.  The 
felting  was  all  burned  off  the  forward  part  of  boiler  B.  The  protective 
deck  over  boilers  B  and  D  seems  to  have  been  broken  off  at  about  the 
middle  of  these  boilers,  and  the  outboard  edge  is  resting  just  above 
these  two  boilers,  somewhat  at  an  angle  from  the  fore-and-aft  line, 
sloping  to  starboard  and  upward. 


264     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Outboard  of  this  outer  edge  the  protective  deck  is  gone  altogether. 
The  starboard  side  of  the  protective  deck  rests  in  its  place  at  the  after 
end  of  boiler  C,  but  is  raised  at  the  after  end  of  boiler  A  about  3  feet. 
At  the  forward  end  of  boiler  Ait  is  raised  almost  vertical  and  projects 
out  of  the  water.  Along  the  forward  side  of  boiler  D  I  crawled  in 
under  the  protective  deck  and  crossed  the  face  of  boiler  D.  On  the 
face  of  boiler  D  I  could  feel  the  tubes,  the  hand  hold,  and  the  forward 
furnace  door.  The  boiler  appeared  to  have  rolled  about  one-eighth  of 
a  turn  aft.  From  that  boiler  I  came  out  again,  and,  crossing  over  the 
protective  deck,  found  an  opening  in  the  protective  deck  and  went 
down  through  that  about  the  inner  frame  30,  and  from  there  I  crawled 
dingonally  forward  to  starboard,  and  found  the  front  end  of  boiler  A, 
took  the  felting  off  and  felt  the  plates  myself.  Returned  to  this  start- 
ing point,  frame  30,  amidships,  and  went  down  again  under  the  pro- 
tective deck,  through  the  same  opening,  and  found  boiler  C.  The  A, 
B,  and  C  boilers  appeared  to  be  in  their  proper  positions. 

I  forgot  to  mention  that  the  forward  bulkhead  of  the  coal  bunker 
abaft  boiler  C  is  buckled  aft  and  horizontally.    That  is  all. 

Q.  Could  you  not  describe  that  openingin  the  protective  deck  through 
which  you  passed,  a  little  better? 

A.  I  think  it  is  a  hatch. 

Q.  Did  you  ascertain  how  far  aft  the  protective  deck  was  carried  away  1 

A.  No,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and,  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  then  proceeded  to  the  wreck. 

After  returning  from  the  wreck,  the  court  reassembled,  and  took  a 
recess  subject  to  being  reassembled  upon  being  called  upon. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  recess,  10  a.  m.,  Sunday,  March  13, 1898,  the 
court  reassembled. 

Present :  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 
Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  entered  the  court. 

Ensign  Powelson,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the  court,  and 
after  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was  still 
under  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  have  you  read  over  the  testimony  which  you  gave 
before  this  court  the  last  time'? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  is  with  the  exception  of,  on  page  549,  fourth  line,  next 
to  last  word,  "a"  should  be  "the."  I  wish  to  change  the  testimony  in 
regard  to  the  horizontal  angle  that  the  keel  forward  of  the  frame  18 
makes  with  the  keel  abaft  of  frame  18.  J*  was  104  degrees,  and  I  have 
since  ascertained  that  it  is  about  91  degrees.  The  angle  had  been 
recorded  wrong  in  my  notebook. 

Q.  Have  you  made  any  further  discoveries  that  you  wish  to  testify 
to  before  this  court  since  your  last  testimony? 

A.  I  have  taken  some  soundings,  and  have  cut  in  prominent  jioints 
in  the  keel  by  taking  angles  on  fixed  points  of  the  ship,  but  have  not 
yet  completed  my  work. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  265 

Q.  When  do  you  think  that  your  drawings  will  be  ready"? 
A.  I  think  by  to-night  or  early  to-morrow  morning. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Is  this  work  that  the  court  had  directed  you  previously  to  do1? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  amended 
testimony  of  previous  day  and  his  testimony  of  to-day  was  read  over  to 
him  and  by  him  approved  and  pronounced  correct,  whereupon  he  with- 
drew. 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Andrew  Olsen,  a  former  witness,  appeared 
before  the  court,  and  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court 
that  he  was  still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  record  of  your  testimony  given  before 
this  court  on  Wednesday  last? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded! 

A.  It  is,  with  a  few  exceptions.  On  page  552,  eighth  line,  second 
word,  change  31  to  41.  On  page  553,  ninth  line,  "  keel"  should  be 
changed  to  "rail,"  and  the  same  corrections  made  twice  on  the  tenth 
line.  Page  553,  seventh  line  from  the  bottom,  change  "  bow  "  to  "buoy." 
Page  557,  tenth  line,  "  25  "  to  "23." 

Q.  Is  your  testimony,  as  now  amended,  correct? 

A.  Y"es,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  since  you  gave  your  last  testimony 
before  this  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  how  many  hours  in  all? 

A.  About  eight  or  ten  hours  since  I  gave  my  last  testimony. 

Q.  With  what  object  did  you  go  down? 

A.  To  look  for  the  armor  plate  which  I  had  previously  reported. 

Q.  Did  you  find  it? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Are  you  still  confident,  in  your  own  mind,  that  you  had  found  it 
before. 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  can  you  account  for  its  disappearance? 

A.  The  only  way  I  can  account  for  it  is  that  it  sunk  in  the  mud  at 
that  point.  It  is  three  weeks  now  since  I  found  it.  There  has  not  been 
any  diving  since  two  weeks  at  that  place. 

Q.  Have  you  made  any  further  discoveries  while  down  during  these 
last  hours  which  make  you  wish  to  change  any  of  your  testimony  pre- 
viously given  before  this  court? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  made  any  additional  discoveries  that  you  wish  to  testify 
to  before  this  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  About  some  loose  powder  that  I  have  reported  before. 
I  scooped  some  of  it  up  and  sent  it  up  to  Mr.  Powelson.  It  was  sent 
up  in  a  bag. 

Q.  Powder  and  mud  mixed? 

A.  Both,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Has  that  fore-and-aft  bulkhead,  which  was  bent  over  the  10  inch 


266  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

shell  room,  and  which,  was  near  the  plate  which  you  formerly  described, 
disappeared "? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  can  not  locate  it. 

Q.  What  plates  have  you  found  there  lately  % 

A.  Around  the  vicinity  I  found  a  thwartship  bulkhead — an  armor 
bulkhead 

Q.  In  how  many  parts? 

A.  One  plate.  I  found  something  that  looked  like  the  bulkhead  plate — 
6-inch — farther  in  amidships,  but  I  could  only  feel  it  for  a  space  of  a 
few  inches  underneath  some  wreckage. 

Q.  How  high  did  the  fore-and-aft  bulkhead  which  leaned  over  the 
10-inch  shell  room  appear  to  you  when  you  were  down  there,  as  you 
stood  in  the  10-inch  shell  room? 

A.  I  went  down  in  a  hole  and  the  curved  part  just  touched  my  helmet. 

Q.  And  that  bulkhead  you  have  not  lately  been  able  to  locate"? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Does  not  that  plate  lead  you  to  believe  that  you  have  not  been  down 
in  the  same  j)lace  where  you  at  first  found  the  outside  armor  plate"? 

A.  My  belief  is  that  I  was  down  in  the  vicinity. 

Q.  Does  not  that  make  you  doubt  that  you  have  not  been  down  in 
the  same  place? 

A.  Yes;  I  might  not  have  been  down  in  the  same  place.  I  might  be 
within  5  or  6  inches  of  that  place  without  seeing  the  plate.  You  can 
not  tell  where  you  are  down  there. 

Q.  That  would  be  a  more  reasonable  explanation  than  to  suppose 
that  this  plate  has  disappeared  in  some  way? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  In  locating  the  points  under  Mr.  Powelson's  direction,  have  you 
been  again  to  the  stem  of  the  ship? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  you  are  confident  of  its  position? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  followed  up  again  the  keel  from  the  stem? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Does  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  then,  forward  of  frame  17,  appear 
to  be  fairly  intact? 

A.  It  seems  to  be  in  a  pretty  good  condition. 

Q.  Did  you  get  around  at  all  so  as  to  feel  up  on  the  forecastle  deck? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  1  could  feel  the  scupper  inside  the  rail. 

Q.  At  what  angle  did  the  deck  seem  to  lie? 

A.  At  about  45  or  50  degrees  from  the  horizontal. 

Q.  That  is,  the  whole  bow  lies  over  on  its  starboard  side? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  confident  of  that,  because  I  can  put  my  hand  over 
the  port  rail  and  down  into  the  mud. 

Q.  How  high  does  the  mud  go  up  on  the  deck?  Does  it  come  pretty 
nearly  up  to  the  port  rail? 

A.  Taking  a  point  level  between  the  two  hawse  pipes  of  the  sheet 
chain  and  of  the  bow  chain,  the  mud  is  just  on  a  level  at  that  point. 

Q.  Are  you  understood  to  have  said  that  this  stem  lies  nearly  parallel 
with  the  general  direction  of  the  ship? 

A.  Nearly  parallel  with  the  general  direction  of  the  ship. 

Q.  What  is  the  direction  of  the  keel  of  this  part  of  the  ship,  forward 
of  frame  17? 

A.  The  keel  there  is  up  and  over  to  starboard  and  aft,  at  an  angle  of 
about  60  degrees  with  the  horizontal. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  267 

Q.  Did  you  see  anything  of  a  deep  depression  in  the  mud  forward 
there? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  right  at  the  bow  of  the  ship. 

Q.  Under  the  bow,  do  you  mean? 

A.  Eight  where  the  keel  goes  into  the  mud  I  found  a  big  hole  in  the 
mud.  I  could  go  right  down  into  the  hole,  and  extend  my  arms  and 
feel  the  top  of  the  hole.    It  was  about  level  with  my  armpits. 

Q.  How  deep  was  if? 

A.  About  4  or  5  feet. 

Q.  Was  it  solid  at  the  bottom? 

A.  It  was  muddy.  It  was  seemingly  more  solid  than  any  other  mud 
higher  up. 

Q.  How  wide  was  this  at  the  top? 

A.  It  extended  out  from  the  ship  about  4  or  5  feet,  then  it  seems 
to  extend  around  the  keel — abaft  and  around  the  keel.  I  was  down  at 
this  point  yesterday.  The  ship  is  rapidly  sinking  into  it  and  the  hole 
is  closing  up. 

Q.  When  were  you  there? 

A.  Yesterday. 

Q.  Is  it  to  be  understood  that  this  hole  extends  under  the  after  part 
of  the  remainder  of  the  bow  ? 

A.  Underneath  the  keel,  as  it  goes  aft;  yes,  sir.  The  bottom  of  the 
stem  is  in  the  hole,  and  the  hole  goes  around  and  to  starboard,  under- 
neath the  keel. 

Q.  How  far,  according  to  your  observation,  has  the  powder  been 
mixed  with  the  mud ;  over  how  great  an  area  ? 

A.  In  several  places  where  I  found  tanks  split  up,  in  the  seams  I  found 
this  mud  and  powder  mixed.  I  think  it  is  powder  and  mud.  When 
you  stirred  it  up  you  can  not  see  a  thing.  When  you  go  outside  of  the 
ship  and  walk  in  the  mud  it  shows  a  kind  of  greenish  light  color. 
That  is  what  made  me  think  it  is  powder.  Mr.  Powelson  has  what  I 
brought  up. 

Q.  Does  the  quantity  of  this  mixed  material  down  there  seem  to  be 
large? 

A.  No;  not  very  large,  sir.  You  can  find  it  in  small  spots  here  and 
there. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  after 
being  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Gunner's  Mate  Thomas  Smith,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the 
court,  and  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he 
was  still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  in  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  you 
gave  your  last  testimony  before  this  court? 

A.  I  was  down  for  about  one  hour. 

Q.  What  was  your  object  in  going  down? 

A.  To  search  for  the  armor  plate. 

Q.  Did  you  find  it? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What,  then,  did  you  find? 

A.  I  found  the  one  that  has  been  already  reported — the  transverse 
armor.  


268     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Q.  Are  yon  confident  you  found  this  side  armor  plate  before,  as 
you  reported? 

A.  The  plate  that  I  found  now  I  am  sure  is  not  the  one  I  found  first 
when  I  came  here. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Smith,  how  can  you  account  for  the  fact  that  you  can  not  find  this 
plate  ? 

A.  The  only  thing  is  that  it  may  be  in  the  mud. 

Q.  What  was  there  near  the  plate — the  side  armor  plate — as  you 
originally  found  it,  by  which  you  might  identify  it? 

A.  I  remember  there  was  some  of  tbe  frames  of  the  ship  stood  up 
vertically. 

Q.  Did  you  find  those  frames'? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  have  not  found  those  frames  yet.  Eight  near  this 
transverse  armor  plate  there  seems  to  be  an  inner  bottom  rolled  up 
over  on  top  of  it.  I  can  not  tell  whether  it  is  an  inner  bottom  or  a  bulk- 
head. 

Q.  Beferring  to  the  hole  that  you  testified  to  on  a  previous  occasion, 
as  having  found  near  the  bow  of  the  ship,  will  you  please  describe  that 
hole  and  its  location  again. 

A.  The  hole  is  chiefly  abaft  the  keel  on  the  port  side  on  the  bow, 
and  extends  a  little  way  forward  along  the  stem  as  it  lies. 

Q.  How  deep  do  you  think  that  it  was? 

A.  I  should  judge  it  to  be  about  7  feet  deep. 

Q.  How  wide  across  the  top? 

A.  About  the  same,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  approved;  and,  after  having  been 
cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Gunner's  Mate  Eundquist,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the 
court,  and  after  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that 
he  was  still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Advocate: 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  in  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  you 
last  testified  before  this  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  how  many  hours  in  all? 

A.  I  went  down  about  eight  hours. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  special  object  in  going  down? 

A.  I  was  sent  down  to  look  for  the  side  armor  plate. 

Q.  Did  you  find  it? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Are  you  confident  that  you  found  it  before? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  By  what  localities  could  you  identify  the  spot  where  it  was  before? 

A.  Well,  1  won't  say  I  am  unable  to  identify  the  place.  I  was  not 
down  long  enough  that  day.  I  happened  to  come  across  it  more  by 
accident  than  anything  else.  I  slipped  and  fell,  and  landed  close  to 
this  plate. 

Q.  And  that  is  the  only  time  you  saw  it  before? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  the  only  time  I  saw  it  before. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  269 

Q.  Then  you  are  sure  it  was  the  side  armor  plate,  with  the  thinuer 
edge  up1? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  During  this  recent  diving  of  eight  hours  have  you  made  any 
further  discoveries  that  would  change  your  previous  testimony1? 

A.  No,  sir;  I  have  not. 

Q.  Have  you  made  any  additional  discoveries  that  you  wish  to  tes- 
tify before  this  court1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  found  lots  of  shells  down  there — 6  pounders  and  10- 
inch  ;  I  also  found  some  powder  tanks.  I  sent  some  of  them  up — about 
six  of  them ;  and  I  also  found  another  boiler — two  boilers  in  all.  I 
only  saw  one  before.    That  is  all. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  shell;  in  what  part  of  the  ship? 

A.  I  found  it  right  amidships,  forward  of  the  boiler. 

Q.  Where  did  you  find  the  tanks? 

A.  In  the  same  localities;  close  to  it;  not  very  far  from  it. 

Q.  In  which  direction  from  the  shell? 

A.  Forward  and  to  port. 

Q.  How  many  tanks  did  you  send  up? 

A.  I  sent  up  about  five  tanks. 

Q.  Were  these  boilers  that  you  found  forward  boilers? 

A.  They  looked  to  be  forward  boilers,  sir.  I  also  found  a  piece  01 
transverse  armor  which  I  never  saw  before. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Are  you  certain,  absolutely  certain,  that  the  piece  of  armor  which 
you  first  reported  was  as  much  as  11  or  12  inches  thick  at  the  thickest 
part? 

A.  I  could  not  say  what  thickness  it  was,  because  I  did  not  measure 
it.  I  measured  the  top  of  it  with  my  fingers,  and  then  followed  the 
armor  plate  with  my  two  hands,  and  it  felt  to  me  that  it  was  getting 
thicker  down  below. 

Q.  You  are  confident  it  was  thicker  at  one  part  than  it  was  at 
another  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  certain  of  it. 

Q.  How  far  down  in  the  mud  did  you  follow  it? 

A.  I  followed  it  to  about  one-half  a  foot  down  into  the  mud.  It 
extended  way  down,  sir.     I  could  not  say  how  far  down. 

By  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  : 

Q.  Did  you  notice  any  difference  in  the  condition  of  the  wood  back- 
ing of  the  transverse  and  side  armor? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  on  the  side  armor  the  backing  looked  to  be  all  ragged, 
but  on  the  back  of  the  transverse  armor  the  backing  is  all  in  good  con- 
dition. I  also  found  on  the  side  armor,  where  the  bolts  went  through 
the  backing,  the  backing  is  broken  away,  and  left  the  part  of  the  bolt 
uncovered  where  the  wood  is  gone. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Was  there  anything  besides  the  nut  on  it? 

A.  I  found  some  rubber  gaskets,  and  it  felt  soft  when  I  put  my  hand 
on  the  bolt.    Nothing  else. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  out  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew, 


270     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

Gunner's  Mate  Sohluter,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the  court, 
and,  after  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was 
still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows : 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  on  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  your 
last  testimony  before  this  court? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  have  been  down  forward  in  the  magazine  for  shells 
and  powder  tanks. 

Q.  Is  that  all  the  diving  you  have  done? 

A.  I  have  been  looking  for  the  armor  plate,  sir. 

Q.  Looking  for  the  side  armor  plate? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  it? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  you  find  in  the  way  of  tanks? 

A.  I  found  some  6-pounders,  sir.  Some  of  them  had  the  shell  in 
them;  some  of  them  had  the  shell  out,  and  there  was  still  some 
dark  stuff  left  that  looked  like  powder.  I  brought  them  up.  Some 
6-pounder  empty  ones  with  the  side  burst  out,  and  the  top  of  a  10-inch 
tank. 

Q.  How  many  6-inch  tanks  did  you  send  up  ? 

A.  Three  or  four. 

Q.  What  part  of  the  ship  did  you  find  them  in? 

A.  Eight  around  the  10-inch  magazine.  I  also  found  another  boiler 
on  the  starboard  side,  in  good  condition,  as  far  as  I  could  feel. 

Q.  Was  it  a  forward  boiler? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  it  looked  to  me  like  the  second  boiler  forward  on  the 
starboard  side. 

Oj.  Did  you  make  any  discoveries  which  would  now  cause  you  to 
change  any  of  your  previous  testimony? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  make  any  other  discoveries  which  you  wish  to  testify 
before  this  court? 

A.  No,  sir. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry  he  withdrew. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright,  a  former  witness,  was  then 
called  by  the  court,  and  after  having  been  warned  that  he  was  still 
under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Ad vocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  kept  an  account  of  the  powder  tanks  that  have  been 
sent  up  out  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine t 

A.  Only  in  my  memory. 

Q.  Can  you  state  to  the  court  about  how  many  have  been  sent  up  of 
each  kind,  and  also  their  condition? 

A.  About  thirty -five  6-inch  and  about  ten  10-inch.  I  have  seen  one 
10-inch  tank  and  two  6-inch  tanks  that  contained  powder  in  bags,  and 
the  remainder  were  either  empty  and  contaiued  parts  of  excelsior  pack- 
ing or  parts  of  powder  bags.  All  the  tanks  were  more  or  less  injured, 
a  large  proportion  opening  lengthwise  along  the  seam.  Nearly  all  the 
tanks  show  signs  of  having  been  subjected  to  outside  pressure,  as  if 
pressed  against  the  powder  inside;  and  their  ends  are  also  crushed  in. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     271 

I  saw  two  6-inch  tanks  that  were  opened  at  the  seams  and  were 
pressed  down  flat,  as  if  by  an  exertion  of  considerable  force.  Those 
two  have  more  the  appearance  of  having  been  exploded,  in  my  mind, 
than  any  other,  and  though  not  the  appearance  I  would  expect  powder 
tanks  to  exhibit  after  a  charge  inside  had  burst.  Others  are  not  suffi- 
ciently destroyed  to  give  me  the  impression  of  having  been  exploded, 
although  1  have  never  seen  powder  tanks  after  an  explosion  and  can 
only  draw  my  own  ideas.  The  damage  to  the  tanks  seems  to  have  been 
caused  by  contact  with  some  hard  object,  and  as  the  shells  were  found 
on  top  of  these  tanks  accounts  for  the  damage. 

Q.  How  was  the  Maine  made  fast  to  her  buoy  at  the  time  of  her 
destruction  ? 

A.  Starboard  bow  chain. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  there  was  any  private  ammunition  on  board 
the  Maine — that  is,  ammunition  belonging  to  individuals  and  not  to 
the  Government? 

A.  None  that  came  to  my  knowledge. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  whereupon 
he  took  his  seat  as  an  interested  party. 

Naval  Constructor  Hoover,  IT.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  called 
by  the  court,  and  having  been  cautioned  that  he  was  still  under  the 
oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows : 

By  the  Court: 

Q.  In  the  examination  you  made  of  the  portion  of  the  wreck  above 
water,  recognized  as  being  about  frame  17,  what  do  you  make  out  the 
thin  plate  in  that  vicinity  to  be? 

A.  It  is  the  forward  part  of  the  forward  water  tank,  on  the  port  side, 
beneath  the  platform  deck  at  frame  18. 

Q.  What  is  the  portion  painted  white? 

A.  It  is  a  portion  of  the  bulkhead  at  frame  18,  forming  the  forward 
side  of  the  6  inch  magazine. 

Q.  Is  the  forward  side  of  the  water  tank  crushed  in  at  all,  or  is  it 
approximately  still  a  plane  surface? 

A.  Nearly  a  plane  surface.  It  is  distorted  a  little;  but  it  is  torn 
away  from  its  fastenings  to  frame  18.  The  after  side  of  this  water-tank 
bulkhead  now  faces  forward. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and  after  being 
cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon  matters 
pertaining  to  the  inquiry  he  withdrew. 

The  court  then  took  a  recess  at  12.20  p.  in.,  to  meet  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m. 


SEVENTEENTH  DAY. 

IT.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 
Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  Monday,  March  14,  1898 — 10  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

Present :  All  the  members,  the  judge- advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 
The  record  of  yesterday's  proceedings  was  read  and  approved. 


272  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

Lieut.  H.  Hutchins,  IT.  S.  Navy,  a  witness  called  by  the  court, 
appeared,  aud,  after  Laving  been  duly  sworn  by  the  president  of  the 
court,  testified  as  follows : 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Please  give  to  the  court  your  full  name,  rank,  and  present  station? 

A.  Hamilton  Hutchins;  lieutenant,  U.  S.  Navy,  serving  as  navigator 
on  the  U.  S.  S.  Montgomery. 

Q.  Is  the  Montgomery  at  Havana"? 

A.  She  is;  at  buoy  No.  3. 

Q.  How  long  has  the  Montgomery  been  at  Havana? 

A.  Since  the  morning  of  the  9th  instant. 

Q.  Have  you,  since  her  arrival  here,  been  engaged  in  taking  soundings 
around  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  f 

A.  I  have;  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Fields,  of  the  Montgomery. 

Q.  Have  you  with  you  a  chart  of  these  soundings? 

A.  I  have;  in  original  and  blue-print  copy. 

(The  witness  presented  to  the  court  the  two  charts  in  question.) 

Q.  This  chart  was  made  from  soundings  taken  under  your  supervision  ? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  from  soundings  taken  under  my  supervision  on  the  9th 
and  10th  instants. 

Q.  Is  it  a  correct  chart? 

A.  It  is;  as  nearly  as  possible  under  the  conditions.  The  depths  are 
correct,  although  their  positions  may  not  be  accurate. 

(The  chart  was  presented  to  the  court,  with  the  request  that  it  be 
appended  to  the  record,  marked  I.) 

Q.  Was  the  depth  of  the  soundings  reduced  to  datum  line,  or  the 
mean  low  water? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  soundings  around  the  after  body  were  all  taken  in 
the  forenoon,  aud  the  soundings  around  the  forward  body  in  the  after- 
noon. The  time  of  high  water  on  these  two  days  I  made  to  be  about 
9.30  on  the  morning  of  the  9th. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  after  hav- 
ing been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon 
matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Chief  Engineer  Howell,  XI.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  recalled 
by  the  court,  and,  after  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the 
court  that  he  was  still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified 
as  follows : 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  During  the  stay  of  the  Maine  at  Havana  the  last  time,  what  for- 
ward coal  bunkers  were  painted,  and  at  what  times  were  they  painted? 

A.  B  3,  B  5,  B  4,  and  B  6  were  painted.  They  were  painted  between 
February  1  and  about  February  10.  Somewhere  between  the  1st  and 
the  10th. 

Q.  Did  the  paint  you  used  contain  dryer  and  turpentine? 

A.  The  first  paint  we  used  was  made  of  red  lead,  oil,  and  turpentine. 
The  turpentine  gave  out,  and  after  that  the  paint  was  without  any  tur- 
pentine or  dryers.     I  don't  remember  when  this  change  took  place. 

Q.  After  having  painted  the  bunkers,  were  they  kept  closed  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  endanger  any  accumulation  of  combustible  gases? 

A.  No,  sir;  these  bunkers  were  opened  frequently  by  the  battle 
doors  and  schutes  which  led  up  to  the  open  air  on  the  main  deck.    The 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.   S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  273 

chutes  were  opened,  and  the  battle  doors  were  worked  to  keep  them 
in  good  order;  also  these  bunkers  have  air- ventilating  pipes  leading  to 
the  open  air. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  bis  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  thereupon  took  a  recess,  to  reassemble  upon  being  called. 

At  2  p.  m.  the  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess. 

Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenog- 
rapher. 

Commander  Converse,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by 
the  court,  and  having  been  cautioned  that  he  was  still  under  the  oath 
which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 
Q.  Have  you  read  over  the  record  of  the  testimony  that  you  gave 
before  this  court  on  Friday  last? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Is  it  correct  as  recorded? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  Court  : 

Q.  Having  somewhat  examined  the  wreck,  and  being  informed  as  to 
the  conditions  existing  in  the  forward  part  of  the  ship,  as  she  now  is, 
are  you  able  to  express  an  opinion  as  to  the  initial  cause  of  the 
damage? 

A.  I  am  unable  to  form  any  opinion  from  the  observations  of  the 
wreck  which  I  have  seen  above  water.  Assuming  that  the  sketch  of 
the  forward  part  of  the  ship,  from  frame  18  forward,  is  approximately 
correct,  [witness  here  looked  at  Exhibit  HI,  it  would  appear  to  me  that 
the  result  indicated  or  shown  might  have  been  produced  by  an  explo- 
sion of  a  large  quantity  of  explosive  material  of  small  power,  which,  by 
causing  a  large  upheaval  of  water,  would  lift  the  vessel  bodily,  and  at 
the  same  time  throw  it  slightly  over  to  starboard. 

The  rupture  of  the  vertical  keel,  and  of  the  skin  plating  on  the  port 
side  occurred,  and  that,  as  the  vessel  was  still  farther  lifted,  the  edges 
of  the  skin  plating  came  in  contact  with  the  water,  and  by  being  lifted 
still  farther,  these  fragments,  marked  B  and  A,  were  bent  forward  and 
downward  in  the  position  shown ;  and  that,  when  the  vessel  slowly  sank 
again,  having  her  starboard  bow  water  borne,  would  naturally  cause 
the  whole  bow  to  slide  off  to  port.  The  amount  by  which  the  piece  of 
A  and  B  are  bent  forward  corresponds  approximately  with  the  amount 
by  which  the  vessel  has  been  shortened.  I  can  not  realize  that  pieces 
of  the  bottom  as  large  as  A  and  B  could  have  been  blown  forward  and 
downward  by  any  interior  explosion,  the  surfaces  being,  as  they  were, 
supported  by  water  on  the  outside. 

Q.  Supposing  the  initial  cause  of  the  disaster  had  been  exterior,  by 
such  a  mine  as  you  have  described,  and  this  explosion  had  exploded 
the  forward  magazines  of  the  Maine,  what  would  have  been  the  result 
to  the  Maine,  caused  by  this  second  explosion? 

A.  The  explosion  of  a  magazine,  entirely  or  partially  flooded,  con- 
taining powder  in  tanks,  would  undoubtedly,  on  account  of  the  water 
tamping  given  the  charges,  produce  marked  local  effects.  Escaping 
gases,  if  in  sufficient  quantity,  would  tend  to  blow  open  and  back  the 
sides  and  deck  of  the  ship.  It  is  thought  that  an  explosion  of  this 
S.  Doc.  207 18 


274     DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 

kind  would  be,  in  its  nature,  progressive,  and  that  the  accumulation  of 
gases  would  become  more  and  more  rapid  until  all  obstacles  were 
removed.  Judging  also  from  the  effects  of  explosions  which  I  have 
witnessed,  much  of  the  explosive  material  in  the  magazine,  if  contained 
in  separate  cases  or  tanks,  would  be  dispersed  and  scattered  without 
exploding. 

Q.  Frame  18,  as  shown  on  the  plan  of  the  Maine,  represents  the 
highest  point  of  the  keel  at  present,  and  the  point  at  which  the  keel  is 
broken.  Do  you  think  that,  in  the  case  of  a  powder  pressure  in  this 
compartment  of  the  berth  deck,  between  irames  12  and  18,  sufficient  to 
rend  asunder  the  sides  of  the  ship,  it  would  have  been  possible  for  any 
man  to  have  escaped  alive? 

A.  I  think  it  not  impossible. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct;  and,  after 
having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon 
matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  then  adjourned  at  3.40  p.  m.  to  meet  to-morrow  at  10  a.  m. 


EIGHTEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  L.  H.  Tender  Mangrove, 

Harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba, 

Tuesday,  March  15,  1898—2  p.  m. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday,  but  not 
until  2  p.  m.,  as  no  testimony  was  ready  during  the  forenoon. 
Present :  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 
Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  entered  the  court. 
The  record  of  yesterday's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 

Submarine  Diver  Dwyer,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the  court, 
and  after  having  been  warned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was 
still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows : 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Have  you  done  any  diving  in  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  since  you 
gave  your  last  testimony  before  this  court'? 

A.  Yes,  sir ;  about  one-half  day  on  Saturday,  one-half  day  on  Sun- 
day, all  day  Monday,  and  this  forenoon. 

Q.  Please  state  to  the  court  what  you  found. 

A.  I  found  the  bow  portion  of  the  ship  laying  on  its  starboard  broad- 
side, with  the  stem  laying  flat  on  the  bottom.  The  port  side  of  the 
main  deck  to  the  berth  deck  was  torn  loose  and  thrown  forward — bent 
forward — and  slightly  upward.  The  break  from  the  main  deck  started 
at  the  forward  shutter  of  the  6-inch  gun  port.  At  the  same  point  the 
main  deck  was  turned  up  at  right  angles  from  its  proper  position.  The 
break  begins  aft  and  extends  as  far  forward  as  the  forward  shutter  of 
the  6-inch  port.  Forward  of  this  the  deck  is  in  place,  and  also  the  bow. 
The  port  6  inch  gun  lays  across  the  knightheads;  the  port  6  pounder 
is  still  attached  to  the  deck,  and  so  is  the  port  anchor  davit.  The 
6-pounder  is  trained  aft  on  its  own  deck. 

(Sketch  II  was  here  shown  to  the  witness. 
By  the  Court: 

Q.  Do  you  recognize  that,  Mr.  Dwyer1? 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  275 

A.  On  the  sketch  the  stem  seems  to  come  up  out  of  the  mud.  In 
reality  the  ram  is  in  the  mud  and  the  stem  lies  flat  along  the  mud.  For 
the  hrst  eighteen  frames  from  forward  the  keel  of  the  ship  slants  up- 
ward. The  keel  is  then  thrown  up  from  its  original  position  for  a  dis- 
tance of  about  IS  inches;  after  that  it  makes  a  sharp  bend  up  at  an 
angle  of  45  degrees,  aud  then  it  bends  down.  At  this  upper  point  the 
vertical  keel  is  broken  sharp  off  and  bent  right  down,  comes  straight 
down,  almost  plumb,  for  a  distance  of,  I  should  judge,  of  about  16  feet. 
The  vertical  keel  is  then  bent  back  on  itself  for  a  distance  of  about  2 
feet.  The  flat  keel  itself,  at  this  lower  point,  appears  to  be  broken. 
Then  the  keel  is  bent  aft  and  downward  for  about  20  feet,  when  the 
vertical  keel  appears  to  end.     I  could  feel  the  broken  end. 

By  the  Judge -Advocate  : 

Q.  How  much  of  the  vertical  keel,  as  you  have  described  it,  had  the 
flat  keel  still  attached  to  it? 

A.  That  would  be  difficult  to  answer.  The  inner  bottom  covers  the 
vertical  keel  almost  the  whole  length  of  it,  so  that  it  is  impossible  to 
see  whether  the  flat  keel  is  underneath  or  not,  except  that  one  point, 
about  ten  feet  forward  of  the  end  of  the  vertical  keel,  where  it  is  possi- 
ble to  reach  down  there.  At  that  point,  on  feeling  the  vertical  keel,  it 
appeared  to  be  crushed — the  lower  portion  up  toward  the  upper  por- 
tion or  reverse. 

The  inner  bottom  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  vertical  keel  appeared 
to  be  pressed  downward,  showing  the  sharp  outline  of  the  vertical  keel. 
It  was  in  that  shape  from  where  I  found  the  vertical  keel  to  end  for 
about  fifteen  feet  forward.  The  port  side  of  the  bow  appears  to  be 
blown  outward  to  within  one  or  two  plates  of  the  keel.  On  the  star- 
bard  side,  abreast  of  where  the  keel  is  bent,  there  are  two  bottom  plates 
attached  to  the  keel,  and  the  outer  edge  of  these  plates  take  the  same 
general  curvature  as  the  keel  does,  bat  with  a  larger  radius. 

Q.  What  is  the  general  direction  of  the  inner  bottom  which  is  attached 
to  the  keel,  and  how  much  of  it  is  attached  to  different  portions  of  the 
keel? 

A.  From  frame  18  down  to  about  frame  21  there  is  none  of  the  inner 
bottom  attached  to  the  vertical  keel  on  the  port  side,  while  there  is  on 
the  starboard  side  from  3  to  4  feet.  Abaft  of  this  the  inner  bottom  is 
intact,  and  the  end  of  the  vertical  keel,  except  at  one  point,  about  10 
feet  forward  from  the  after  end,  where  the  inner  bottom  is  split  from 
the  vertical  keel  out  to  port. 

Q.  How  much  of  the  bottom  plating  is  attached  to  the  keel  on  each 
side,  as  far  as  you  could  find?     What  is  its  general  condition? 

A.  At  about  frame  16  I  counted  five  plates  from  the  starboard  side  of 
the  keel  down  to  the  mud.  They  did  not  seem  to  be  damaged  in  any 
way.  About  10  feet  forward  of  that  point  I  counted  two  plates  to  port 
of  the  keel.  Farther  forward  I  could  not  tell  how  many  plates  it  was. 
Near  the  ram  I  was  unable  to  find  the  edge  of  the  plates  so  as  to  count 
them,  as  the  plates  appeared  to  be  but  seams. 

Q.  Was  there  any  bottom  plating  attached  to  the  keel  on  the  port 
side  in  the  vicinity  of  frame  17? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  on  the  port  side  of  the  keel,  at  frame  17,  there  was  plat- 
ing attached,  but  I  could  not  get  the  general  contour  of  it. 

By  the  Court  : 
Q.  Mr.  Dwyer,  did  you  examine  the  outside  of  the  ship,  from  the 
turret,  forward  on  the  starboard  side? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


276  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

Q.  What  condition  of  things  did  you  find  there? 

A.  It  was  a  bewildering  mass  of  bulkhead  and  iron  plates.  I  could 
not  keep  track  of  it,  especially  as  I  had  to  work  from  aft  forward. 

Q.  Could  you  tell  us  anything  about  the  armor  forward  of  what  you 
testified  to  the  last  time? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  examine  the  port  side  abaft? 

A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Where  the  bow  of  the  ship  lies  on  its  bilge,  as  you  might  say,  on 
its  starboard  side,  is  the  position  of  that  portion  of  the  ship  due  to  its 
form,  or  is  it  held  there  by  the  keel  and  by  the  bow,  or  stem,  sticking 
in  the  mud? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  should  say  it  was  the  form  of  the  ship.  I  should  say, 
from  the  position  of  the  keel  in  relation  to  the  bottom  plating,  that  she 
is  lying  a  little  farther  over  than  on  her  beam  end.  In  regard  to  the 
depression  in  the  mud  which  you  spoke  of,  I  searched  for  that,  and  find 
no  hollow  such  as  was  described.  What  I  found  was  that  the  ram,  when 
the  bow  fell  over  on  its  side,  had  turned  up  quite  an  amount  of  mud, 
and  on  going  from  the  top  of  tbat  aft  I  appeared  to  go  down  in  a  hol- 
low; but  going  from  aft  forward  you  find  the  general  bottom,  and  then 
the  mound  raised  up  to  the  ram. 

Q.  You  are  assuming,  then,  that  the  bow  went  down  first? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  that  it  struck  a  blow  in  the  mud  and  threw  this  up? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  assume  that  from  the  condition  of  the  bottom  just 
forward  of  the  ram. 

Q.  Just  forward  of  the  ram  or  just  abaft? 

A.  Well,  you  might  say  under  the  ram.  There  is  one  point  to  men- 
tion about  the  main  deck.  After  turning  at  right  angles  it  takes  a 
general  twist  over  to  starboard,  so  that  the  point  where  the  hatch  is — 
the  forward  hatch — the  deck  was  upside  down  at  that  point. 

Q.  What  hatch? 

A.  Forward  hatch  on  the  forecastle. 

Q.  Are  you  referring  to  the  upper  deck  or  the  main  deck? 

A.  Main  deck,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  the  foremast? 

A.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not.  I  crossed  the  deck  just  by  the  hatch  and  found 
a  brass  plate  on  the  under  side  of  the  deck  which  spoke  of  ''  showers." 

Q.  Did  you  come  across  any  projectiles  or  powder  tanks  when  you 
were  in  the  vicinity  of  frame  18  or  abaft  of  it? 

A.  I  found  a  10-inch  shell  laying  close  to  the  vertical  keel  on  the  inner 
bottom  at  about  frame  21 — a  percussion  10-inch  shell.  1  found  no  pow- 
der tanks  here.  Further  aft  to  port  I  found  quite  a  number  of  powder 
tanks,  0-inch,  G-pounder,  and  10-inch  shell,  and  also  some  brass  car- 
tridges about  the  same  diameter  as  the  6  pounders,  but  they  were 
exploded. 

By  Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwrighi-: 

Q.  When  you  stood  in  the  mud  at  the  point  where  the  keel  entered 
the  mud  forward,  did  there  appear  to  be  any  depression  there — a  hol- 
low? 

A.  No,  sir;  the  mud  appeared  to  be,  as  I  stood  at  the  side  of  the 
keel,  facing  toward  the  ram,  on  the  left,  appeared  to  be  turned  up 
higher  on  one  side,  and  the  ram  appeared  to  be  going  down  into  the 
bottom.  Following  the  keel  down  with  my  hands  toward  the  point  of 
the  ram  I  found  the  ram  was  covered  with  the  mud. 


DESTRUCTION   OF    THE    TJ.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  277 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and  after 
being1  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse  upon 
matters  pertaining  to  the  court,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  thereupon  took  a  recess  at  3.30 

The  court  reassembled  at  the  expiration  of  the  recess  at  4.30  p.  m. 
Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge  -  advocate,  and  the  stenog- 
rapher. 

Lieutenant  Hutchins,  a  former  witness,  was  called  by  the  court, 
and  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  that  he  was 
still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified  as  follows: 
By  the  Judge- Advocate: 

Q.  Have  you  observed  and  can  you  tell  the  court  the  magnetic  direc- 
tion of  the  keel  of  the  Maine — the  after  part  of  the  ship1? 

A.  Yes,  sir;  I  examined  it  by  horizontal  angles  and  checked  it  as 
near  as  possible  with  the  compass.  It  is  north  85  degrees  west  mag- 
netic, looking  forward.     The  ship  is  lying  head  north  85  degrees  west. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness,  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  inquiry,  he  withdrew. 

Ensign  Powelson,  IT.  S.  Navy,  a  former  witness,  was  recalled  by 
the  court,  and  after  having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the 
court  that  he  was  still  under  the  oath  which  he  had  taken,  he  testified 
as  follows : 

By  the  Judge-Advocate  : 

Q.  Mr.  Powelson,  have  you  made  the  drawings  you  were  directed  to 
make  by  the  court  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine? 

A.  They  are  not  quite  complete;  but  nearly  so. 

Q.  Will  you  please  explain  to  the  court  how  you  obtained  the  data 
for  these  drawings? 

A.  I  sent  divers  down  to  various  points  on  the  line  of  the  keel,  and 
then  sent  a  lead  line  down  to  the  diver;  got  into  a  boat;  plumbed  the 
point;  took  soundings  and  two  angles  on  stations  that  I  had  established 
on  the  ship  and  wreckage  near  the  ship.  Station  A  is  the  mainmast; 
Station  O  the  port  crane;  Station  D  the  forward  edge  of  the  after 
smoke-pipe,  and  Station  B  is  at  a  piece  of  wreckage  126  degrees  in 
azimuth  from  Station  A,  measured  at  Station  D,  and  distant  41£  feet 
from  Station  D.  Station  E  is  the  piece  of  wreckage  in  azimuth  64 
degrees  from  Station  B,  measured  at  Station  D,  and  distant  94  feet  from 
Station  13.  After  establishing  several  points  on  the  line  of  the  keel,  I 
sent  the  diver  down  to  get  points  on  the  line  of  the  break  of  the  bot- 
tom plating  on  the  port  side.  These  points  are  one,  two,  three,  and 
four  E.  These  points  were  angled  on,  and  depths  taken  as  I  have 
described. 

Mr.  Powelson  was  then  directed  to  complete  the  drawing  and  send  it 
to  the  court,  at  Key  West,  on  board  the  Iowa,  to-morrow,  and  attest  the 
correctness  over  his  signature. 

There  being  no  further  questions  to  ask  this  witness  his  testimony 
was  read  over  to  him,  and  by  him  pronounced  to  be  correct,  and  after 
having  been  cautioned  by  the  president  of  the  court  not  to  converse 
upon  matters  pertaining  to  the  court,  he  withdrew. 

The  court  then,  at  5.10,  adjourned  to  hold  its  next  meeting  on  board 
the  battle  ship  Ioiva,  off  Key  West,  Ela. 


278     DESTRUCTION  OP  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE. 


NINETEENTH  DAY. 

U.  S.  Battle  Ship  Iowa  (1st  rate), 
Off  Key  West,  Fla.,  Thursday,  March  17,  1898—10  a,  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  last  adjournment. 
Present:  All  the  members,  the  judge- advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 
The  record  of  last  day's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 
The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

The  doors  being  opened  at  5  p.  m.,  the  court  adjourned  to  meet  to- 
morrow at  10  a.  m. 

TWENTIETH  DAY. 

U.  S.  Battle  Ship  Iowa  (1st  rate), 
Off  Key  West,  Fla.,  Friday,  March  18,  1898—10  a.  m. 

The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 

Present :  All  the  members,  the  judge-advocate,  and  the  stenographer. 

The  record  of  yesterday's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 

The  judge-advocate  informed  the  court  that  he  had  received  seven 
more  photographs  from  Chief  Engineer  C.  P.  Howell — the  ones  that 
Chief  Engineer  C.  P.  Howell  had  been  directed  by  the  court  to  have 
taken — and  asked  permission  of  the  court  to  place  them  with  Exhibit  I. 

The  request  was  granted. 

The  judge-advocate  then  informed  the  court  that  he  had  received  the 
plan  of  the  wreck  of  the  Maine  that  Ensign  Powelson  had  not  finished 
before  the  court  had  left  Havana. 

The  plan  was  shown  to  the  court,  with  the  request  to  have  it  appended 
to  the  record,  marked  L. 

The  request  was  granted. 

The  judge-advocate  then  informed  the  court  that  he  had  also  received 
the  plan  of  the  broken  part  of  the  vertical  and  flat  keel  of  the  Maine 
which  Gunner's  Mate  A.  Olsen  had  sent  to  him,  the  same  not  having 
been  quite  complete  when  the  court  left  Havana. 

This  plan  was  shown  to  the  court,  with  the  request  that  it  be  appended 
to  the  record,  marked  M. 

This  request  was  granted. 

The  judge-advocate  also  requested  to- have  five  views  taken  by  Pho- 
tographer Hart — which  he  had  requested  Photographer  Hart  to  take — 
and  added  to  Exhibit  I. 

The  request  was  granted. 

The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

At  3.50  p.  m.  the  doors  were  opened,  and  court  adjourned  to  meet 
to-morrow  at  10  a.  m. 

TWENTY-FIRST  DAY. 

U.  S.  Battle  Ship  Iowa  (1st  rate), 
Off  Key  West,  Fla.,  /Saturday,  March  19,  1898—10  a.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  last  adjournment. 
Present:  All  the  members  and  the  judge- advocate. 
The  record  of  last  day's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 
The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

The  doors  being  opened,  the  court  adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow, 
Sunday,  March  20, 1898,  at  10  a.  m. 


DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  279 


TWENTY-SECOND  DAY. 

U.  S.  S.  Iowa  (1st  rate), 
Off  Key  West,  Fla.,  Sunday,  March  20,  1898— 2  p.  m. 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  last  adjournment. 
Present:  All  the  members  and  the  judge-advocate. 
The  record  of  last  day's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 
The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

The  doors  being-  opened,  the  court  adjourned  at  4.30  p.  m.  to  meet 
to-morrow,  Monday,  the  21st  day  of  March,  1898. 

TWENTY-THIRD   DAY. 

tT.  S.  S.  Iowa  (1st  rate), 
Key  West,  Fla.,  Monday,  March  21,  1898—10  a,  nu 
The  court  met  pursuant  to  the  adjournment  of  yesterday. 
Present:  All  the  members  and  the  judge-advocate. 
The  record  of  last  day's  proceedings  was  read  over  and  approved. 
The  court  was  then  cleared  for  deliberation. 

After  full  and  mature  consideration  of  all  the  testimony  before  it, 
the  court  finds  as  follows: 

1.  That  the  United  States  battle  ship  Maine  arrived  in  the  harbor  of 
Habana,  Cuba,  on  the  25th  day  of  January,  1898,  and  was  taken  to 
buoy  No.  4,  in  from  5£  to  6  fathoms  of  water  by  the  regular  Govern- 
ment pilot. 

The  United  States  consul-general  at  Havana  had  notified  the  au- 
thorities at  that  place,  the  previous  evening,  of  the  intended  arrival  of 
the  Maine. 

2.  The  state  of  discipline  on  board  the  Maine  was  excellent,  and  all 
orders  and  regulations  in  regard  to  the  care  and  safety  of  the  ship 
were  strictly  carried  out. 

All  ammunition  was  stowed  in  accordance  with  prescribed  instruc- 
tions, and  proper  care  was  taken  whenever  ammunition  was  handled. 

Nothing  was  stowed  in  any  one  of  the  magazines  or  shell  rooms  which 
was  not  permitted  to  be  stowed  there. 

The  magazines  and  shell  rooms  were  always  locked  after  having  been 
opened,  and  after  the  destruction  of  the  Maine  the  keys  were  found  in 
their  proper  place  in  the  captain's  cabin,  everything  having  been 
reported  secure  that  evening  at  8  p.  m. 

The  temperatures  of  the  magazines  and  shell  rooms  were  taken  daily 
and  reported.  The  only  magazine  which  had  an  undue  amount  of  heat 
was  the  after  10-inch  magazine,  and  that  did  not  explode  at  the  time 
the  Maine  was  destroyed. 

The  torpedo  war  heads  were  all  stowed  in  the  after  part  of  the  ship, 
under  the  ward  room,  and  neither  caused  nor  jiarticipated  in  the  de- 
struction of  the  Maine. 

The  dry  gun-cotton  primers  and  detonators  were  stowed  in  the  cabin 
aft,  and  remote  from  the  scene  of  the  explosion. 

Waste  was  carefully  looked  after  on  board  the  Maine  to  obviate 
danger.  Special  orders  in  regard  to  this  had  been  given  by  the  com- 
manding officer. 

Varnishes,  driers,  alcohol,  and  other  combustibles  of  this  nature  were 
stowed  on  or  above  the  main  deck  and  could  not  have  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  destruction  of  the  Maine. 


280  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

The  medical  stores  were  stowed  aft,  under  the  ward  room,  and  remote 
from  the  scene  of  the  explosion. 

No  dangerous  stores  of  any  kind  were  stowed  below  in  any  of  the 
other  storerooms. 

The  coal  bunkers  were  inspected  daily.  Of  those  bunkers  adjacent 
to  the  forward  magazines  and  shell  rooms  four  were  empty,  name^: 
B3,  B4,  B5,  BO.  A15  had  been  in  use  that  day,  and  A10  was  full  of 
New  Biver  coal.  This  coal  had  been  carefully  inspected  before  receiv- 
ing it  on  board.  The  bunker  in  which  it  was  stowed  was  accessible  on 
three  sides  at  all  times,  and  the  fourth  side  at  this  time  on  account 
of  bunkers  B4  and  Bti  being  empty.  This  bunker,  A1G,  had  been 
inspected  that  day  by  the  engineer  officer  on  duty. 

The  fire  alarms  in  the  bunkers  were  in  working  order,  and  there  had 
never  been  a  case  of  spontaneous  combustion  of  coal  on  board  the 
Maine. 

The  two  after  boilers  of  the  ship  were  in  use  at  the  time  of  the  dis- 
aster, but  for  auxiliary  purposes  only,  with  a  comparatively  low  pres- 
sure of  steam,  and  being  tended  by  a  reliable  watch. 

These  boilers  could  not  have  caused  the  explosion  of  the  ship.  The 
four  forward  boilers  have  since  been  found  by  the  divers,  and  are  in  a 
fair  condition. 

On  the  night  of  the  destruction  of  the  Maine  everything  had  been 
reported  secure  for  the  night  at  8  p.  m.  by  reliable  persons,  through 
the  proper  authorities,  to  the  commanding  officer.  At  the  time  the 
Maine  was  destroyed  the  ship  was  quiet,  and,  therefore,  least  liable  to 
accident  caused  by  movements  from  those  on  board. 

EXPLOSIONS. 

3.  The  destruction  of  the  Maine  occurred  at  9.40  p.  m.  on  the  loth 
day  of  February,  1898,  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  she  being  at  the 
time  moored  to  the  same  buoy  to  which  she  had  been  taken  upon  her 
arrival.  There  were  two  explosions  of  a  distinctly  different  character, 
with  a  very  short  but  distinct  interval  between  them,  and  the  forward 
part  of  the  ship  was  lifted  to  a  marked  degree  at  the  time  of  the  first 
explosion.  The  first  explosion  was  more  in  the  nature  of  a  report  like 
that  of  a  gun,  while  the  second  explosion  was  more  open,  prolonged, 
and  of  greater  volume.  This  second  explosion  was,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  court,  caused  by  the  partial  explosion  of  two  or  more  of  the  forward 
magazines  of  the  Maine. 

CONDITION    OF    THE    WRECK. 

4.  The  evidence  bearing  upon  this,  being  principally  obtained  from 
divers,  did  not  enable  the  court  to  form  a  definite  conclusion  as  to  the 
condition  of  the  wreck,  although  it  was  established  that  the  after  part 
of  the  ship  was  practically  intact,  and  sank  in  that  condition  a  very 
few  minutes  after  the  destruction  of  the  forward  part. 

The  following  facts  in  regard  to  the  forward  part  of  the  ship  are, 
however,  established  by  the  testimony: 

A  portion  of  the  port  side  of  the  protective  deck,  which  extends 
from  about  frame  30  to  about  frame  41,  was  blown  up,  aft,  and  over  to 
port.  The  main  deck,  from  about  frame  30  to  about  frame  41,  was 
blown  up,  aft,  and  slightly  over  to  starboard,  folding  the  forward  part 
of  the  middle  superstructure  over  and  on  top  of  the  after  part. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE.  281 

This  was,  in  the  opinion  of  the  court,  caused  by  the  partial  explosion 
of  two  or  more  of  the  forward  magazines  of  the  Maine. 

5.  At  frame  17  the  outer  shell  of  the  ship,  from  a  point  11£  feet 
from  the  middle  line  of  the  ship,  and  G  feet  above  the  keel  when  in  its 
normal  position,  has  been  forced  up  so  as  to  be  now  about  4  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  water,  therefore  about  31  feet  above  where  it  would 
be  had  the  ship  sunk  uninjured. 

The  outside  bottom  plating  is  bent  into  a  reversed  V  shape  (A),  the 
after  wing  of  which,  about  15  feet  broad  and  32  feet  in  length  (from 
frame  17  to  frame  25),  is  doubled  back  upon  itself  against  the  continu- 
ation of  the  same  plating,  extending  forward. 

At  frame  18  the  vertical  keel  is  broken  in  two,  and  the  flat  keel  bent 
into  an  angle  similar  to  the  angle  formed  by  the  outside  bottom  plating. 
This  break  is  now  about  G  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
about  30  feet  above  its  normal  position. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  court  this  effect  could  have  been  produced  only 
by  the  explosion  of  a  mine  situated  under  the  bottom  of  the  ship  at 
about  frame  18  and  somewhat  on  the  port  side  of  the  ship. 

6.  The  court  finds  that  the  loss  of  the  Maine  on  the  occasion  named 
was  not  in  any  respect  due  to  fault  or  negligence  on  the  part  of  any  of 
the  officers  or  members  of  the  crew  of  said  vessel. 

7.  In  the  opinion  of  the  court  the  Maine  was  destroyed  by  the  explo- 
sion of  a  submarine  mine,  which  caused  the  partial  explosion  of  two  or 
more  of  the  forward  magazines. 

8.  The  court  has  been  unable  to  obtain  evidence  fixing  the  responsi- 
bility for  the  destruction  of  the  Maine  upon  any  person  or  persons. 

W.  T.  Sampson, 
Captain,  TJ.  8.  N.,  President. 
A.  Marix, 
Lieut.  Com.,  TJ.  S.  2V.,  Judge-Advocate. 


The  court  having  finished  the  inquiry   it  was  ordered  to  make, 
adjourned  at  11  a.  m.,  to  await  the  action  of  the  convening  authority. 

W.  T.  Sampson, 
Captain,  TJ.  8.  iV".,  President. 
A.  Marix, 
Lieut.- Com.,  TJ.  8.  2V.,  Judge- Advocate. 


TJ.  S.  Flagship  New  York, 

Off  Key  West,  Fla.,  March  22,  1898. 
The  proceedings  and  findings  of  the  court  of  inquiry  in  the  above 
case  are  approved. 

M.   SlCARD, 
Bear  Admiral,  Commander  in  Chief  of  the 
United  States  Naval  force  on  the  North  Atlantic  Station. 


INDEX  TO  EXHIBITS. 


A. — Precept,  with  telegrams  forming  part  of  it. 

B. — Letter  from  convening  authority,  permitting  certain  officers  to  be  present  dur- 
ing the  inquiry. 

C. — Letter  from  the  convening  authority  upon  the  same  subject. 

D„ — Sketch  of  portions  of  underside  of  protective  deck. 

E^ — Sketuh  of  protective  deck  where  it  shows  above  water. 

F. — Translation  of  an  anonymous  letter  in  regard  to  a  plot. 

G. — Letter  showing  the  amount  of  ammunition  on  board  the  Maine  June  30,  1897. 

H. — Sketch  showing  forward  part  of  the  ship  under  water;  keel  about  as  far  aft  as 
frame  28,  and  two  plates  bent  into  a  V  shape. 

I. — Photographs  of  wreck. 

K. — Survey  of  soundings  around  the  wreck  of  the  Maine. 

L. — Plans  of  the  keel  and  other  permanent  points  of  the  wreck. 

M. — Plan  made  by  diver  of  break  of  vertical  and  flat  keel  of  the  Maine,  frame  18. 

283 


EXHIBITS. 


A. 

U.  S.  Flagship  New  York  (1st  rate), 

Key  West,  Fla.,  February  19, 1898. 
Oapt.  William  T.  Sampson,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  U.  IS.  8.  Iowa,  Key  West,  Fla. 

Sir:  A  court  of  inquiry,  consisting  of  yourself  as  president,  and  of 
Capt.  French  E.  Chadwick  and  Lieut.  Commander  William  P.  Potter, 
United  States  Navy,  as  additional  members,  and  of  Lieut.  Commander 
Adolph  Marix,  United  States  Navy,  as  judge  advocate,  is  hereby  ordered 
to  convene  at  noon  on  Monday,  February  21, 1898,  or  as  soon  thereafter 
as  practicable,  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  the  circumstances  con- 
nected with  the  loss  by  explosion  of  the  United  States  battle  ship  Maine, 
in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  on  the  night  of  Tuesday,  February  15, 
1898. 

The  court  is  authorized  to  hold  its  sessions  on  board  any  ship  of  the 
North  Atlantic  Squadron,  or  in  the  city  of  Key  West,  Fla.,  or  in  the 
harbor  of  the  city  of  Havana,  Cuba. 

The  attention  of  the  court  is  invited  to  the  instructions,  concerning 
the  particulars  to  be  investigated  in  the  case  of  the  loss  or  grounding 
of  a  ship  of  the  Navy,  contained  in  the  United  States  Navy  Eegula- 
tions. 

The  following-described  papers  relating  to  the  loss  of  the  U.  S.  S. 
Maine  on  the  occasion  referred  to  are  attached  to  and  made  part  of  this 
precept : 

1.  The  copy  of  a  telegram  sent  by  Capt.  C.  D.  Sigsbee,  United  States 
Navy,  at  Havana,  Cuba,  to  Commander  James  M.  Forsyth,  United 
States  Navy,  at  Key  West,  Fla.,  without  date,  but  probably  sent  on 
the  night  of  February  15,  as  it  was  received  at  Key  West,  Fla.,  by 
Lieut.  Commander  William  S.  Cowles,  United  States  Navy,  at  1  a.  m. 
of  February  16,  1898,  and  by  the  commander  in  chief  at  5.30  a.  m.  of 
February  1G,  at  Dry  Tortugas,  Fla. 

2.  A  telegram  sent  by  Capt.  C.  D.  Sigsbee,  United  States  Navy,  to 
the  commander  in  chief  at  Key  West,  Fla.,  dated  Havana,  Cuba,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1898. 

The  court  will  diligently  and  thoroughly  inquire  into  all  the  circum- 
stances attending  the  loss  of  said  vessel  on  the  date  named,  and  upon 
the  conclusion  of  the  investigation  will  report  to  the  commander  in 
chief  its  proceedings,  all  the  testimony  taken,  and  the  facts  which  it 
may  deem  established  by  the  evidence  adduced,  together  with  its  opin- 
ion as  to  what  farther  proceedings,  if  any,  should  be  had  in  the  matter. 

The  court  will  also  report  whether  or  not  the  loss  of  said  vessel  was, 
on  the  occasion  named,  in  any  respect  due  to  fault  or  negligence  on  the 

285 


286  DESTRUCTION   OF   THE   U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 

part  of  any  of  the  officers  or  members  of  the  crew  of  said  vessel,  and 
if  so,  the  names  of  such  officers  or  members  of  the  crew,  and  in  what 
respect  and  to  what  extent  any  or  either  of  them  were  so  at  fault  or 
negligent. 

If  the  court  shall  be  of  opinion  that  further  proceedings  should  be- 
had  in  the  matter,  it  will  include  in  its  report  a  succinct  statement  as 
to  the  person  or  persons  against  whom,  and  the  specific  matter  upon 
which,  such  proceedings  should  be  had. 

The  court  will  also  report  its  opinion  as  to  the  cause  or  causes  of  the 
explosion,  or  other  incidents  that  bore  directly  or  indirectly  upon  the 
loss  of  the  Maine. 

It  will  also  record  any  information  that  it  may  be  able  to  obtain  by 
testimony  and  evidence,  as  to  any  person  or  persons  not  connected  with 
the  Navy  of  the  United  States,  who  are,  in  its  opinion,  responsible,  in 
part  or  wholly,  directly  or  indirectly,  for  the  explosion  and  loss  of  the 
Maine,  and  will  include  their  names,  in  its  opinion,  together  with  the 
degree  of  responsibility  in  each  case. 

M.  Sicard, 
Bear- Admiral,  Commander  in  Chief, 
TJ.  S.  Naval  Force  on  North  Atlantic  Station- 

I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 

Lieut.-Com.,  U.  S.  N.,  Judge- Advocate. 


No.  1. 
Forsyth,  Key  West: 

Tell  admiral  Maine  blown  up  and  destroyed.  Send  light-house  tend- 
ers. Many  killed  and  wounded.  Don't  send  war  vessels  if  others 
available. 

Sigsbee. 

I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 

Lieut.  Com.,  IT.  8.  N.,  Judge-Advocate. 


No.  2. 

February  16. 
Commander  in  Chief,  Key  West: 

Maine  blown  up  in  Habana  harbor  at  9.40  last  night  and  destroyed. 
Many  wounded  and  doubtless  more  killed  or  drowned.  Wounded  and 
others  on  board  Spanish  man  of- war  and  Ward  Line  steamers.  Send 
light-house  tender  from  Key  West  for  crew  and  the  few  pieces  of 
equipment  above  water.  None  has  clothing  other  than  that  upon  him. 
Public  opinion  should  be  suspended  until  further  report.  All  officers 
believed  to  be  saved;  Jenkins  and  Merritt  not  yet  accounted  for. 
Many  Spanish  officers,  including  representatives  of  General  Blanco, 
now  with  me  to  express  sympathy. 

Sigsbee. 

I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 
Lieut.  Com.,  U.  8.  N.,  Judge- Advocate. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     287 


B. 

U.  S.  Flagship  New  York  (1st  rate), 

Key  West,  Fla.,  February  19,  1898.     i 

Sir  :  Referring  to  my  order  of  this  date  convening  a  court  of  inquiry, 
of  which  you  are  president,  to  meet  at  such  place  as  the  president  of 
the  court  may  deem  proper,  on  Monday,  February  21, 1898,  at  noon,  for 
the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  loss 
of  the  U.  S.  battle  ship  Maine  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  Cuba,  on  the  night 
of  Tuesday,  February  15, 1898, 1  have  to  inform  you  that  Capt.  Charles  D. 
Sigsbee,  United  States  Navy,  commanding  the  U.  S.  S.  Maine,  and 
Lieut.  Commander  Richard  Wainwright,  United  States  Navy,  the  execu- 
tive officer,  and  Lieut.  George  F.  W.  Holman,  United  States  Navy,  the 
navigator,  and  Chief  Engineer  Charles  P.  Howell,  United  States  Navy, 
the  chief  engineer  of  that  vessel,  have  been  informed  of  their  right  to 
be  present  during  the  investigation,  to  cross  examine  witnesses,  and  offer 
evidence  before  the  court  should  they  desire  to  do  so. 

As  the  court  has  been  directed  to  report  whether  or  not  the  loss  of 
the  U.  S.  S.  Maine  was  in  any  respect  due  to  fault  or  negligence  on  the 
part  of  any  of  the  officers  or  crew  of  said  vessel,  etc.,  you  will  inform 
the  officers  and  such  of  the  crew  as  may  have  filled  positions  of  special 
responsibility  upon  the  occasion  referred  to  that  they  have  the  same 
right  to  be  present  during  the  sessions  of  the  court,  to  offer  evidence, 
and  to  cross-examine  witnesses,  if  they  so  desire. 
Yery  respectfully, 

M..  SlCARD, 

Rear -Admiral,  Commander  in  Chief, 
U.  8.  Naval  Force  on  North  Atlantic  Station. 
Capt.  William  T.  Sampson,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  U.  8.  8.  Iowa,  Key  West,  Fla. 
I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 
Lieut.  Com.,  U.  8.  N.,  Judge-Advocate. 


288  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 


c. 

U.  S.  Flagship  New  York  (1st  rate), 

Key  West,  Fla.,  February  19,  1898. 

Sir:  Beferring  to  rny  communication  of  this  date  informing  you  that 
Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  United  States  Navy;  Lieut.  Commander 
Richard  Wainwright,  United  States  Navy ;  Lieut.  George  F.  W.  Hol- 
man,  United  States  Navy,  and  Chief  Engineer  Charles  P.  Howell, 
United  States  Navy,  have  been  informed  of  their  rigbt  to  be  present 
during  the  investigation  to  cross-examine  witnesses  and  offer  evidence 
before  the  court  should  they  desire  to  do  so,  1  have  to  inform  you  that 
if,  during  the  progress  of  the  investigation  it  shall  appear  that  others 
than  those  above  mentioned  should  be  entitled  to  appear  as  defendants, 
they  will  be  called  before  the  court  and  informed  of  their  right  to  be 
present  and  cross-examine  witnesses  and  offer  such  evidence  as  they 
may  desire. 

Very  respectfully,  M.  Sicard, 

Rear- Admiral,  Commander  in  Chief 
JJ.  8.  Naval  Force  on  North  Atlantic  Station. 

Capt.  William  T.  Sampson,  U.  S.  N., 

Commanding  JJ.  8.  8.  Ioiva,  Key  West,  Fla. 

I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 

Lieut.  Com.,  JJ.  8.  N.,  Judge-Advocate. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE.  289 

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290  DESTRUCTION   OP   THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP   MAINE. 


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DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     291 


F. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  at  dawn  of  the  day  of  the  terrible 
catastrophe  an  individual  was  killed  in  a  small  boat,  together  with 
another,  who  is  to  be  found  wounded  and  a  prisoner.  They  were  going 
about  the  cruisers  Maine  and  Alfonso  XII,  and  as  the  said  individuals 
are  the  worst  antecedents  as  harbor  thieves,  I  have  interested  myself 
in  investigating  what  connection  this  occurrence  could  have  with  the 
explosion  of  the  Maine,  and  I  have  discovered  that  those  two  men, 
together  with  another,  who  is  called  Pepe  Taco,  had  bought  in  a  hard- 
ware store  in  Mercaderes  street,  called  La  Marina,  a  hose  such  as  is 
used  by  divers,  and  that  the  three  left  Eegla  in  a  small  boat,  which 
they  placed  under  the  wharves  of  Sta.  Oataliua,  and  they  were  loiter- 
ing more  than  an  hour  and  a  half,  while  Pepe  Taco,  who  is  a  calker 
and  diver,  probably  the  best  in  these  parts,  did  the  work  to  bring  about 
the  explosion  of  the  Maine.  With  this  data  I  went  to  Eegla  and  dis- 
covered that  the  family  of  the  dead  man,  who  lived  in  the  utmost 
misery  in  a  house  in  Eodriguez  Batista  street,  had  moved  to  a  well- 
furnished  one  in  Gelabert  street.  There  I  learned  that  they  had  agreed 
with  some  merchants  of  Muralla  street  for  the  work  of  blowing  up  the 
ship  for  the  sum  of  $6,000—12,000  in  advance,  the  other  $4,000  after 
seeing  the  result.  But  as  they  did  not  come  out  of  the  adventure  very 
well,  having  been  attacked  when  they  were  retiring,  the  result  of  which 
was  the  death  of  one,  who  left  his  teeth  in  the  boat,  and  another  one 
wounded,  the  third  one  has  not  presented  himself  to  collect  the  rest 
of  the  money,  and  it  could  probably  be  secretly  done  that,  by  paying 
him  the  rest  that  the  others  will  not  now  pay  him,  he  would  declare 
the  truth  of  all  this.  The  one  whom  I  call  the  third  is  the  diver  Pepe 
Taco,  who  was  un wounded,  who  no  doubt  is  afraid  to  present  himself 
to  collect  the  rest.  In  Muralla  street  they  tell  me  was  the  place  where 
the  business  was  arranged  with  Messrs.  Garcia  Corujedo,  Villasuso, 
Maribona,  and  others,  whom  I  do  not  remember.  The  man  arrested  is 
being  administered  morphine  constantly  to  see  if  he  will  die  and  not 
give  evidence,  so  as  not,  as  they  express  it,  to  spoil  the  affair  after  it 
has  come  off  so  much  to  their  taste. 

Havana,  Feb.  nth,  1898. 

(V. 
I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Marix, 
Lieut.  Com.  JJ.  S.  Navy,  Judge- Advocate. 


292  DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    U.  S.  BATTLE    SHIP    MAINE. 

G. 

TJ.  S.  S.  Maine  (1st  rate), 
Hampton  Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  1897. 
Sir  :  In  compliance  with  the  commandant's  indorsement  of  the  Bureau 
of  Construction  letter,  No.  1096-E3,  of  June  23, 1897,  directing  that  a 
statement  of  the  amount  of  ammunition  of  each  size  stowed  in  the  vari- 
ous ammunition  rooms  be  given,  I  make  the  following  report,  which 
gives  the  amount  stowed  in  the  ammunition  rooms  as  well  as  that  stowed 
outside  in  the  handling  and  passing  rooms. 
The  amount  given  is  the  full  allowance  of  ammunition. 
Very  respectfully, 

0.  D.  Sigsbee, 
Captain,  TJ.  8.  N,  Commanding  TJ.  S.  8.  Maine. 
The  Commandant,  Navy- Yard  and  Station. 

TJ.  S.  Flagship  New  York, 
Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,  June  30,  1897. 
Forwarded  by  direction  of  commander  in  chief. 

C.  H.  West, 
Commander,  TJ.  8.  N.,  Chief  of  Staff. 

>  [Second  indorsement.] 

Navy- Yard,  New  York,  July  2, 1897. 

1.  Respectfully  referred  to  the  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair. 

2.  This  letter  is  in  reply  to  the  Bureau's  No.  1096-E3  of  the  23d 
ultimo. 

F.  M.  Bunce, 
Commodore,  TJ.  8.  Navy,  Commandant  Navy-  Yard  and  Station. 

Forward  magazine  (Compartment  A  6M). — 99  full  charges  for  6-inch 
B.  L.  R.;  164  reduced  charges  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. ;  146  common  shell,  in 
slings,  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. ;  100  armor-piercing  shells,  in  slings,  for  6-inch 
B.  L.  R. ;  24  shrapnel,  in  slings,  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. 

Forward  fixed  ammunition  room  (A  9M). — 152  chests  6-pounder  steel 
shell  (1,672  rounds) ;  112  chests  6-pounder  common  shell  (1,232  rounds) ; 
27  chests  6-pounder  blank  (297  rounds);  17  chests  1-pounder  steel  shell 
(1,020  rounds);  11  chests  1-pounder  common  shell  (660  rounds);  10 
chests  6mm.  cartridge,  ball  (10,000  rounds);  3  chests  ,38-caliber  car- 
tridges, ball  (9,000  rounds). 

Forward  10-ineli  shell  room  (A  12M). — 90  common  shell  for  10-inch 
B.  L.  R.;  74  armor-piercing  shell  for  10  inch  B.  L.  R. 

Forward  10-inch  magazine  (A  13M). — 92  full  charges  for  10-inch  B.  L. 
R. ;  88  reduced  charges  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

Reserve  magazine  (A  14 M). — 113  full  charges  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R;  51 
reduced  charges  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. ;  3,400  pounds  of  spare  saluting 
powder  (19  tanks);  100  pounds  of  shrapnel  and  impulse  powder. 

10-inch  shell  room  amidships  (C  3M). — 90  armor-piercing  shell  for  10- 
inch  B.  L.  R.;  90  common  shell,  loaded  and  fused,  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

10-inch  magazine  amidships  (C  4M). — 88  full  charges  for  10-inch  B.  L. 
R. ;  91  reduced  charges  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

6-inch  magazine  amidships  (C 5M). — 101  full  charges  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R.; 
131  reduced  charges  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. ;  208  common  shell,  loaded  and 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  U.  S.  BATTLE  SHIP  MAINE.     293 

fused,  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R.;  100  arinor-piercmg  shell  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. ; 
23  shrapnel,  in  slings,  for  6-inch  B.  L.  R. 

After  torpedo  head  and  fixed  ammunition  room  (D 1M). — 8  Whitehead 
torpedo  warheads,  filled ;  8  Whitehead  torpedo  wet  primer  cases,  filled ; 
76  chests  of  6-pounder  steel  shell  (836  rounds);  32  chests  of  6-pounder 
common  shell  (396  rounds);  32  chests  of  1-pounder  steel  shell  (1,920 
rounds) ;  20  chests  of  1-pounder  common  shell  (1,200  rounds) ;  20  chests 
of  .45-caliber  cartridges,  ball  (20,000  rounds) ;  7  chests  of  .3'caliber 
cartridges,  ball  (21,000  rounds);  100  chests  of  6  mm.  cartridges,  ball 
(100,000  rounds) ;  10  chests  of  .22  caliber  cartridges,  ball  (93,000  rounds) ; 
11  chests  of  6  mm.  cartridges,  blank  (11,000  rounds) ;  7  chests  of  United 
States  cannon  primers,  3,700  rounds ;  8  boat  ammunition  tanks,  small 
arm,  7,000  rounds. 

In  addition  to  the  shell  stowed  in  the  shell  rooms  there  are  stowed 
10-inch  shells  as  follows : 

Forward  10-inch  loading  room  (A55). — 2  common  shell  for  10-inch  B. 
L.  B.;  2  armor-piercing  shells  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

Forivard  10-inch  passing  room. — 2  drill  shells  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

Midship  10-inch  loading  room  (Ol'). — 1  armor-piercing  shell  for  10-inch 
B.  L.  R. ;  2  drill  shells  for  10-inch  B.  L.  R. 

Midship  10-inch  passing  room. — 15  armor-piercing  shells  for  10-inch 
B.  L.  R. 


I  certify  the  above  to  be  a  true  copy. 

A.  Maeix, 
Lieut.  Com.,  U.  S.  JV.,  Judge- Advocate. 


EXHIBIT    H. 


SKETCH  SHOWING  FOEWAED  PAET  OF  THE  SHIP  UNDEE 
WATEE,  KEEL  ABOUT  AS  FAE  AFT  AS  FEAME  28,  AND 
TWO  PLATES  BENT  INTO  A  V  SHAPE. 


295 


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EXHIBIT    I. 


PHOTOGRAPHS  OF  WRECK. 


297 
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EXHIBIT    K. 


SURVEY  OF  SOUNDINGS  AROUND  THE  WRECK 
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EXHIBIT    U 


PLANS  OF  THE  KEEL  AND  OTHER  PROMINENT 
POINTS  OF  THE  WRECK. 


301 


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EXHIBIT    M. 


PLAN  MADE  BY  DIVER  OF  BREAK  OP  VERTICAL  AND 
FLAT  KEEL  OF  THE  MAINE,  FRAME  18. 


303 


INDEX    TO    TESTIMONY. 


Page. 

First  day : 

Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  U.  S.  Navy 10-19 

Second  day : 

Lieut.  F.  M.  G.  Holman,  U.S. Navy 20-24 

Lieut.  Commander  Richard  Wainwright,  U.  S.  Navy 25-29 

Naval  Cadet  W.  T.  Cluverius,  U.  S.  Navy 29,30 

Naval  Cadet  J.  H.  Holden,  U.  S.  Navy 30,31 

Third  day : 

Chief  Engineer  Charles  P.  Howell,  U.  S.  Navy 32-36 

Lieut.  P.  M.  G.  Holman  (recalled) 36,  37 

Paymaster  Charles  M.  Ray,  U.  S.  Navy 38 

Surg.  L.  G.  Henneberger,  U.  S.  Navy 39,40 

Private  William  Anthony,  U.  S.  Navy 40, 41 

Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee  (recalled) 41-43 

Ensign  W.  V.  N.  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy 43-49 

Fourth  day : 

'  William  H.  Van  Syckel 49-51 

Chief  Engineer  Charles  P.  Howell,  U.  S.  Navy 51,52 

Capt.  Frederick  G.  Teasdale 52-55 

Chaplain  John  P.  Chidwick,  U.  S.  Navy 55,56 

Sigmond  Rothschild 57-62 

Louis  Wertheimer » 62-66 

Gunner  Charles  Morgan,  U.  S.  Navy 66-69 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Andrew  Olsen,  U.  S.  Navy 69-76 

Fifth  day : 

Gunner's  Mate  Thomas  Smith,  U.S.  Navy 76-83 

Seaman  Martin  Reden,  U.  S.  Navy 83-87 

Gunner's  Mate  W.  H.  F.  Schluter,  U.S. Navy  . 88 

Gunner's  Mate  Carl  Rundquist,  U.  S.  Navy 89-93 

Witness,  name  not  given.     (See  testimony) 93-95 

Ensign  W.  V.  N.  Powelson  (recalled) 96-100 

Sixth  day : 

Henry  Drain 100-102 

Capt.  Charles  D.  Sigsbee  (recalled) 102,103 

Lieut.  Commander  Richard  Wainwright  (recalled) 103-105 

Ensign  W.  V.  N.  Powelson  (recalled) 105-112 

Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  (recalled) 112 

Seventh  day : 

Lieut.  John  J.  Blandin,  U.  S.  Navy 113-116 

Lieut.  John  Hood,  U.  S.  Navy 116-126 

Lieut.  George  P.  Blow,  U.  S.  Navy 126-130 

Lieut.  Carl  W.  Jungen,  U.  S.  Navy 130-136 

Naval  Cadet  Amon  Bronson,  jr. ,  U.  S.  Navy 136-138 

Naval  Cadet  D.  F.  Boyd,  jr.,  U.  S.  Navy 138-141 

Lieut.  George  F.  W.  Holman,  U.  S.  Navy  (recalled) .' 141 

Lieut.  A.  W.  Catlin,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps 142,143 

Gunner  Joseph  Hill,  U.  S.  Navy 143-146 

Boatswain  Francis  E.  Larkin,  U.  S.  Navy J 146, 147 

Carpenter  George  Helm,  U.  S.  Navy 147-150 

Eighth  day : 

Past  Asst.  Engineer  Frederick  C.  Bowers 151-154 

Asst.  Engineer  John  R.  Morris 154-156 

Naval  Cadet  Pope  Washington 156 

Naval  Cadet  Arthur  Crenshaw 156-158 

Private  Edward  McKay,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps 160-162 

S.  Doc.  207 21  305 


306  INDEX. 


Eighth  day — Continued. 

Apprentice  Ambrose  Ham,  U.  S.  Navy 162, 163 

Lieutenant  Blow,  recalled 164 

Apprentice  C.  J.  Dressier,  U.  S.  Navy 164-166 

Sergeant  Michael  Mehan,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps 166, 167 

Corporal  Frank  G.  Thompson,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps 167-169 

Lieut.  C.  W.  Jungen,  recalled 170 

Master  at  Arms  John  B.  Load,  U.  S.  Navy 170-173 

Seaman  Peter  Larsen,  U.  S.  Navy 173-175 

Seaman  Louis  Moriniere,  U.  S.  Navy 175, 176 

Boatswain's  Mate  Charles  Bergman 176-178 

Landsman  George  Fox,  U.  S.  Navy 178-180 

Landsman  Michael  Lanahan,  U.  S.  Navy 180, 181 

Coalpasser  Thomas  Melville,  U.  S.  Navy 181-184 

Coxswain  Benjamin  R.  Wilber,  U.  S.  Navy 184, 185 

Fireman  John  H.  Pank,  U.  S.  Navy 185,186 

Seaman  Otto  Rau,  U.  S.  Navv 186, 187 

Fireman  William  Gartrell,  U.  S.  Navy 187-189 

Seaman  Edward  Mattson,  U.  S.  Navy 189-191 

Mess  Attendant  John  H.  Turpin,  U.  S.  Navy 191-193 

Seaman  Martin  Larsen,  U.  S.  Navy 193 

Ninth  day: 

Passed  Assistant  Engineer  Bowers  (recalled) 194 

Seaman  Harry  S.  McCann,  U.  S.  Navy 199,200 

Landsman  Kane,  U.S.  Navy 200,201 

Commander  James  M.  Forsyth,  U.  S.  Navy 201-203 

Machinist  Charles  Goodwin 203,204 

Interrogation  of  survivors,  officers  and  men,  of  the  Maine,  at  military 

barracks,  Key  West , 204 

Tenth  day : 

Ensign  W.  V.  N.  Powelson  (recalled) 205-218 

George  Cornell 218-220 

Capt.  Frank  Stevens 220,221 

Eleventh  dav : 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  (recalled) 221,  222 

Ensign  Powelson  (recalled) 222 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  (recalled)  .1 224 

Gunner's  Mate  Rundquist  (recalled) 224-229 

Gunner's  Mate  Schluter  (recalled) 229-231 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Olsen  (recalled) 232-238 

Naval  Cadet  Cluverius  (recalled) 238,239 

Twelfth  dav : 

Guuner's  Mate  Smith 239-242 

Naval  Constructor  J.  B.  Hoover 242-244 

Carpenter  Helm  (recalled) 244-246 

Consul-General  Fitzhugh  Lee 246,  247 

Thirteenth  and  fourteenth  days : 

Naval  Constructor  Hoover 247 

Carpenter  Helm,  U.  S.  Navy 247 

Ensign  Powelson,  U.  S.  Navy 248 

Chief  Gunner's  Mate  Olsen,  U.  S.  Navv 249-252 

Gunner's  Mate  T.  Smith,  U.S.  Navy..*. 252 

Gunner's  Mate  Schluter,  U.  S.  Navy 252,253 

Gunner's  Mate  Rundquist,  U.  S.  Navy 253-256 

Fifteenth  day: 

Commander  G.  A.  Converse,  U.  S.  Navy 257-260 

Sixteenth  day : 

Capt.  John  Haggerty 261,262 

William  Henry  Dwyer,  submarine  diver 262-264 

Ensign  Powelson  (recalled) V6i,  265 

Andrew  Olsen,  chief  gunner's  mate  (recalled) 265-267 

T.  Smith,  gunner's  mate  (recalled) 267,268 

Carl  Rundquist,  gunner's  mate  (recalled) 268, 269 

Gunner's  Mate  Schluter  (recalled) 270 

Lieutenant-Commander  Wainwright  (recalled) 270,271 

Naval  Constructor  Hoover  (recalled) 271 

Seventeenth  day: 

Lieut.  H.  Hutchins 272 

Chief  Engineer  Howell  (recalled) 272,273 

Commander  Converse  ( recalled") 273, 274 


INDEX.  307 

Page. 
Eighteenth  day : 

Submarine  Diver  Dwyer  (recalled) 274-277 

Lieutenant  Hutchins  (recalled) 277 

Ensign  Powelson  (recalled) 277 

Nineteenth  day 278 

Twentieth  day 278 

Twenty-first  day 278 

Twenty-second  day 279 

Twenty-third  day : 

Findings  of  the  court 279-281 

Adjournment 281 

Exhibits : 

A 285 

B 287 

C 288 

D 289 

E 290 

F 291 

G 292 

H 295 

I 297 

K 299 

L 301 

M 303 


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